The Course of Love
by Lucy Sienna
Summary: Not just another modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. England's wealthiest, most eligible bachelor falls for a young, outspoken university student who won't give him the time of day. Violence, blackmail, murder, romance and more than a little drama ensue in this twist on a classic. ***** now edited and completely re-written to be even better! ****
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 1

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a wealthy, single man is in the market for a wife." Darcy sighed as he and his friend sat having lunch. "And though they do not know us, their mothers will consider us the rightful property of their daughters. Women, who only want money, will be throwing themselves at us left and right."

"Nonsense." Charles shook his head. "You have such a pessimistic view of things. The women here are just women, like any other place in the world. Don't you ever want to fall in love and get married?"

"I do, however, no one has ever tempted me, and I doubt this town will offer anything spectacular, and it will be harder to find the sincere ones. Here, the women are not already rich. In London, at least, they are only trying to increase their fortunes, not gain a fortune." Darcy said, a melancholy look sweeping over his dark features. "And I have to deal with your sister as well!"

"I told her that you were not interested, were never interested, and will never be interested." Charles smiled. "So you should be free from her grasp. Come on, Darcy. You are no more than an hour away from London, faster if you need it, and a few hours drive to Pemberley. You are not isolated. And we've been invited to a party already."

"A party, Charles?" Darcy looked skeptically at his friend.

"Yes. A new club is opening in the town and we've been invited. There will be lots of very pretty girls to dance with and lots of new people to meet." Charles nodded happily, excusing himself.

Darcy sighed and sat back in his chair. He owned one of the most successful private farms in the country, and was wealthy, titled, and one of Europe's best horse breeders, and what was he doing? Sulking in his friend's new home, dreading a party filled with vapid, shallow women, who had surely heard of the men's wealth by now. Charles's father had made his money by fronting inventions and investing in movies, and because of Charles's own services to the Crown, he was knighted. When old Mr. Bingley died, he left his entire fortune to Charles (one of the Bingley sisters was married to a wealthy man and didn't need anything but the trust fund and the other had a trust fund, but her father did not trust her with more than that). Charles had a house in London, but wanted one in the country, some place he could retreat to, but (in Darcy's mind) this town left much to be desired.

That night, the Bingley/Hurst/Darcy lot headed off to the club. Caroline rode with her sister and brother-in-law, and planned on leaving the "country party" early, so they wouldn't sully their good name. Darcy intended to stay as long as Charles did, if only to escape the clutches of his sister Caroline, who refused to take "no" for an answer (having never heard it before in her life). The club was packed and they knew no one. Charles was by nature, friendly, and was chatting with people as he moved around the floor. Darcy then spotted him talking to a blonde woman, who was dressed modestly compared to everyone else, smiling, and laughing. Next to her was a brunette, dressed in a stunning black top and tight jeans. She was not obviously pretty, unlike her blonde sister, she was tiny, short, her face was too round and her mouth was too big. Then he noticed how it puckered in a cute manner when she laughed, and her eyes caught Darcy's notice (much to his dismay). He immediately quashed these thoughts and studied the girls more objectively. He could only assume, by the way the girls acted, that they were either best friends or sisters. The dark-haired one moved away, presumably to get a drink, and Darcy's eye roamed the room yet again.

"Come on Darcy, live a little, dance!" Charles exclaimed.

"Charles, you know how I hate to, unless I know who I'm dancing with. I know no one other than your sisters, who have left already. Besides, you are dancing with the only pretty girl here."

"She is more beautiful than any woman I have ever known. Her name is Jane Bennet and she's a school teacher." Charles got a little dreamy-eyed, staring at the blonde girl. "But don't be so silly, her sister-Elizabeth-is around here somewhere, and she's quite pretty too."

"Barely. She's acceptable, but not enough to tempt me. Go on back to your girl, you're wasting your time with me." Darcy replied, a little more harshly than he intended. He was honestly getting tired of Charles falling in love every few months. It was always a very pretty girl, sometimes they were society girls, sometimes they worked at coffee shops, and he usually lost interest within a few weeks. Darcy felt someone brush past him and saw the retreating back of the blond woman's sister. Had she heard him say she was not pretty? This party was really going to drive him insane, first Charles refuses to leave and then he insults someone who's only fault was that he was irritated. He really needed to learn to think before speaking-it never ended well. All he wanted to do was go home.

Finally, around last call, Darcy managed to drag his friend back to Netherfield, Charles's new home. As soon as they arrived, Mrs. Hurst and Caroline, who had claimed exhaustion when they left the party but were somehow still wide awake, verbally tore apart their new neighbors.

"The manners of those women. They were practically throwing themselves at every available man." Caroline sighed haughtily, with the air of one who knows all. "The society of this town, for the most part, is severely lacking."

"Those two you were speaking to, the eldest Bennet sisters, are quite all right. However, the younger one-Elizabeth-has a sharp tongue. I heard her talking to her friend, and though witty, her sarcastic comments about things were simply…rude." Mrs. Hurst nodded in agreement with her sister. "Though Jane is very sweet and mild-tempered, perhaps the rest of the family is like this."

"Well, shall we have them for lunch next weekend?" Charles asked, grinning.

"Of course we can have them for lunch." Caroline smiled at her sister. "I'm sure it will be most entertaining."

Darcy was sure by the way Caroline had said "entertaining" she did not believe that the rest of the Bennet family was anything like the oldest sisters. In fact, he believed she took a cruel sort of pleasure in mocking the people below her station. He promised himself that he would be more sociable at lunch, if only to find another friend in this town aside from Charles.

That was not in the cards for Darcy, and he spent his lunch attempting to stifle his growing feelings for the second eldest Bennet girl. This annoyed him and so did the majority of the Bennet family, for Mrs. Bennet was absolutely as ill-mannered as Jane was sweet-tempered, and far too loud and nosy for her own good. The younger two were insipid and too much like their mother. The third did not say a word, other than to wax philosophical about morality (really, more like lecture the entire table); making the oldest two look like ladies of court. Elizabeth and Jane seemed to be the best bred of the family, keeping their manners and attempting to rein their mother in the entire lunch, to no avail. Jane and Charles seemed to be in their own little world, and Elizabeth, with whom he might have had a pleasant conversation, refused to speak to him, so he spent the lunchtime in relative silence.

No sooner had Darcy finally convinced himself that Elizabeth was not worth his notice and her family too ill-bred to marry into, he looked at her eyes. They were uncommonly intelligent, and shone brightly when she was happy. This was becoming a dangerous situation for him, so he did what he had done with life questions since his father had died: he wrote to Richard. His cousin was his confidante in almost everything, though Charles was rapidly becoming just as close. Still, Darcy felt like Richard would give him the soundest advice on the matter.

_ From: _

_ To: colfitzwilliam _

_ Rick-_

_ Stop before you get on my case for not emailing you sooner, it's been crazy getting Internet at Charles's house and you know I hate to email from my phone. Call me old-fashioned, but I want my phone to be a phone. I'm looking for advice, old man, and I need you to tell me straight, don't spare my feelings, though you never do._

_ I find myself attracted to a woman that...well, I find her objectionable. Not Elizabeth herself, she is a nice, well-mannered girl but her family! The family is horrible; I have never seen a more determined set of gold-diggers in my life. And open about it! Practically announcing it to the world that they intend to marry rich. Well, the youngest I think would be happy just getting pregnant and getting child support._

_ You know what it would mean to be with me. Every dirty little secret, every unfortunate relative, it all comes out to ridicule in the press. I hate to say this but she really isn't good enough for me. Not her, personally, but you know what I mean._

_ You have more experience with women than I do. How, exactly, do I get over one? _

_ Cheers,_

_ Will_

Will sat back to look at the email. It was honest, it was open, and it was exactly what he would say to Richard face to face. But something was...off. He hovered over the send button but couldn't bring himself to click it. Part of him felt like he needed to defend Elizabeth more to Richard, make him understand that the problem wasn't her, it was her family. At the same time, another part of him thought he hadn't really defended his position against her enough for Rick to get the full idea of how absolutely unsuitable Mrs. Bennet, Kitty, Lydia, and Mary were. Mr. Bennet was...passable. Darcy really hadn't made an opinion on the man yet because he was reserved and allowed his wife to run rampant. No, not allowed. His wife he couldn't control, but his daughters he could. Clearly, someone had stepped in and taught Jane and Elizabeth manners, and Darcy was willing to bet it wasn't their mother. Was Mr. Bennet just exhausted, then, after two and couldn't spare any more attention for the other three?

Perhaps Charles could help him. But Charles didn't share his bad opinion of the Bennets; Charles didn't really share his bad opinion of anyone except for maybe Wickham and anti-monarchists. And even then, he considered many of them lacking in understanding, not really bad. How someone so friendly had ever become his best friend was a mystery to Darcy. But still...

Darcy found his friend in the billiard room, practicing. "Charles."

"Darcy! I thought you were going to be buried in that laptop for hours!" Charles smiled. "Fancy a match?"

Darcy grabbed a cue and prepped it. "I am done with business emails, I was considering a more...personal issue."

"Personal? Do tell. You know I like those much more than business." Charles grinned.

"Elizabeth Bennet." Darcy sighed as Charles broke.

"Ah, the lovely Lizzie! I hope to always be friends with her, she has a biting sense of humor." Charles nodded. "You like her."

How quickly Darcy forgot how easily Charles could read him. No sense denying it. "Yes. But I really don't want a relationship right now, and she's really too young for me. And if we started dating, the poor girl would be exposed to the paparazzi...I'm just not prepared to do that to someone still in University." It wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't a lie either.

Charles wasn't exactly convinced, but he didn't press. "Then don't date her. How is this a personal issue?"

Darcy sighed. "I have no experience trying to be friends with a woman I am attracted to. I have no idea how to handle myself, to try to be friendly but distant enough not to raise any hopes."

"Let me know when you figure it out. I have a habit of accidentally raising hopes. Why I got the nastiest text the other day when Beatrice Blevins found out from Louisa that I was dating someone. Lord knows what it will be like when the press finds out. You might try Fitzwilliam. I swear I see him with more women that I ever thought possible, and when he meets with them after they've ended, they all still think he is the nicest man and are very friendly." Charles shrugged. "I don't know, try to push her out of your thoughts and then you can just...be yourself."

It was settled. Once the game was over, Darcy clicked "send" on his email to Rick and decided to try Charles's advice in the meantime. An opportunity presented itself quickly when they met at a dinner party two days later. Despite his efforts, Elizabeth remained firmly in his thoughts. Again he tried when they were all invited to a charity event for the local children's hospital, and again when they passed each other on the road, but the harder he tried, the stronger his feelings for her became, much to his dismay.

Darcy decided he would give in, once, and cure himself of the ridiculous attraction. Charles provided the perfect opportunity later that night. Caroline, Louisa and Hurst had all vanished, leaving the two friends to discuss Charles's estate and his plans for it.

"What do you think about a masked ball?" Charles asked as they sat around the living room, he was thoroughly enjoying his first month of country estate ownership and was eager to show off his improvements. "We can hold it here. We've got such a grand space; we should put it to good use. Everyone has welcomed me to the neighborhood so nicely; it seems like a great way to repay their hospitality. A New Years costume ball!"

"It's your house, Charles, though you know I hate dancing." Darcy replied, but was secretly excited. He'd avoid _her_ as much as possible and then indulge during the ball. And that would be the end of things.

"Good, it's settled. And you must wear a costume, or you're not coming. And fair warning, Caroline knows you always wear a tuxedo to get out of the whole costume thing, and is most likely going as a bond girl." Charles smiled at his friend's obvious discomfort. "Maybe if you came with a date, Caroline would lay off?"

Darcy gave his friend a look of incredulity. "I think it's time for bed, my friend, you're starting to spout nonsense."

"Lizzie, Caroline Bingley invited me over for lunch. She is such a nice woman, so very intelligent and fashionable." Jane smiled, looking at the text on her phone and quickly responding. "But what will I wear?"

"I don't know how we see people so differently." Lizzie shook her head. "Caroline Bingley is a pretentious snob. If you ask me, she and Darcy deserve each other."

"Now really, Lizzie. Caroline is very kind, and Darcy is just shy and probably just had a headache that night. I wish you could hear yourself sometimes when you have a headache and do not wish to be bothered. You'd probably behave a lot worse than he has. You should forgive him." Jane pointed out.

"I am sorry. I forget all the world is good in your eyes. And what about Mr. Bingley?" Lizzie teased.

"He is the sweetest, most handsome man I have ever met." Jane practically giggled. "I think...but it is too much to hope for more than just casual dating right now. Why would a man who could have any London deb take notice of me?"

"Because you are the sweetest, most handsome woman he has ever met." Her sister teased. "Or beautiful. But I guess you really could use 'handsome'. They all mean the same thing."

"You only say that because you are my sister." Jane rolled her eyes. "Should I tell Mama?"

"That you are dining at the estimable Sir Bingley's house? No. Not until you are walking out the door. You know how she gets." Lizzie shook her head. "Will the man in question be joining you?"

"Oh I doubt it, Lizzie. I think Caroline is just trying to find some girlfriends her age in the area."

"Jane, you couldn't tell that woman's age if you tried. She's practically plastic. Well, be sure to leave early. I've got to get up extra early to do my run tomorrow because a storm is supposed to blow through in the late afternoon. They say we could get several inches of snow and it could be blizzard-like conditions."

"Really? I'll be sure to check the weather early tomorrow. My car will not go very far in snow." Jane looked concerned. "I wonder if Caroline knows and might want to reschedule?"

"It isn't supposed to hit until later, so just eat and get out early because of the weather." Lizzie shrugged.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 2

Riding. It was exactly what Darcy needed, especially if he was most likely going to be cooped up for the day or two because of snow. He told Charles he was leaving his mobile so he could have peace and quiet, but that he would stay the trails on the south side of the estate, and close to the house, if Charles needed him. But the look of the clouds and the light snow falling as he turned to go back made him worry, and instead of a nice trot or canter, he spurred his horse into a full gallop, trying to get back to Netherfield before the storm hit. Bloody weathermen never got it right.

Charles caught up with him quickly and told him the storm was on its way. This was no preview, it was the opening number.

"Will, keep an eye out. Jane said Lizzie went running this way early this morning and isn't home. She texted and said she wasn't hurt and that she'd be home soon about ten minutes ago." Charles explained. "She might already be at Longbourn, but keep your eyes peeled."

Darcy just nodded. He was certainly going to keep his eyes peeled. Elizabeth, out in this weather? No. Darcy would not rest easy until he knew she was safe.

Lizzie was concerned when the first flake hit her. She was five miles from home at least. Hopefully this was just a little preview show before the afternoon's events, but knowing her luck, that was likely not the case. Then she remembered that Netherfield was less than two miles away. She could possibly get there before the storm, or at least in time to join Jane in driving home from what Caroline had changed to a breakfast. It was only little before ten in the morning and the snow wasn't supposed to come for hours yet. It had even been sunny when she left that morning at eight. Lizzie made it a little over a mile before the snow became difficult to see in and started to be difficult run through. It was just when she was starting to worry a bit about catching cold that two horses rode up to her.

"Lizzie! Is that you!" Charles shouted over the din of the wind.

Darcy shook his head. Of course it was her! But then, Charles hadn't spent all of his time watching Elizabeth, so he didn't know her gait and her face, half hidden though it was with her scarf, sunglasses and hood. Lizzie nodded, she was dressed for the cold and not for the wet, so needed to get inside as soon as possible.

"Charles, go on ahead, get warm clothes for us all, I'll get her." Darcy yelled and held out a hand to Lizzie. Darcy wasn't going to trust her safety to anyone else. He pulled her on the back of the horse and spurred the animal on. A shock of electricity ran through him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back. Not a very good rider or horse lover, Lizzie practically had his waist in a vice grip but she did not care. The horse was better than the storm, but only slightly. She had to admit, Darcy felt very fit and had a pleasant, faint woodsy scent. Finally, the noise died down along with the wind. Darcy noticed that she didn't release him, and finally realized that Elizabeth had her eyes shut and had no idea that they were safely in the stable.

"Elizabeth?" Darcy said softly. "I can't breathe. You have to let go."

"Sorry." Lizzie blushed and released him. He got down and helped her down almost effortlessly. "Thank you."

Darcy was surprised by how light she was. He felt like he could scoop her up and take her to his room and – no, he would not go there. He could not. So lost in his thoughts and remonstrations, he took a moment too long to reply to her soft thanks.

"No problem. I thought this bloody storm wasn't supposed to hit until later." He shook some of the snow off his hair.

Lizzie, despite the fact that she was soaked, frozen, terrified, and tired, couldn't help but admire the way Darcy's hair curled when it was wet. Or how strong he had felt gently lifting her from the horse. He was certainly an attractive man, and had he been less of a jerk, she would be in real trouble of falling for him.

"I looked at the weather before I left. I should not have strayed so far from my house and opted for going in circles instead." Lizzie sighed and shivered, though she wasn't entirely sure if was from the cold or the way he was looking at her.

"Where is Charles?" Darcy looked around, frustrated that she was cold and he couldn't help her. Then it hit him, his coat would be warmer than her deliciously tight running gear. He took it off and handed it to her. "It's not the driest thing, but it is warmer than what you are wearing. Let's get inside."

Charles met them at the door with a pile of clothes and blankets and a very worried Jane.

Jane flew at Lizzie to hug her. "I don't care what race this is, you are never going for a long run on a day like this again, do you hear?"

"Yes ma'am." Lizzie tried to sound flippant, but her teeth chattering made it sound more pathetic than impertinent.

"Jane, follow the housekeeper, she will take you to a room where you can help Lizzie warm up, I'll take care of Darcy. You will both stay here tonight, I doubt the roads will be passable until tomorrow." Charles said, taking charge. He practically marched Darcy to his room and ordered him to take a warm shower and get in dry clothes, which Will was thankful for. At the moment, the only thing on his mind was Elizabeth; he couldn't bother to think of taking care of himself.

All Lizzie could think about was how cold she was and, in the back of her mind not occupied with being cold, she thought about how young and handsome William Darcy had looked shaking the snow out of his hair. The shower felt so good and once Jane had braided her hair out of the way, she felt almost human. Charles had chosen the clothes well, including a pair of sweats, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt. Big, warm, and comfortable. The housekeeper had arrived to take her wet things and have them washed.

"Miss Bennet, surely this is not your coat?" The housekeeper held up the large black jacket Lizzie had worn earlier.

"No. That is Mr. Darcy's." Lizzie said, fighting the blush.

"I'm so glad they found you." Jane sighed. "I was worried. I sent Mama a text saying you were all right."

"Thank you." Lizzie nodded. "I was heading here, I was less than a mile away when they found me. Why were Bingley and Darcy out?"

"Charles had eaten breakfast with Caroline and I. Will had decided to go for a ride before the storm hit and he was trapped indoors. Like everyone else, he thought the storm would come later in the day. Once we saw the storm coming up faster than expected, we started to worry. Charles knew where Darcy was riding and went out to warn him. I told him to keep an eye out for you because I knew you had gone for a run and Mama said you weren't back yet." Jane explained.

"Thank you for being concerned over my well-being. Jane, we could be stuck here several days with weather like this. The car is not going to make it." Lizzie sighed.

"We will just make do." Jane shrugged, not seeming the least bit saddened by the fact.

"I wish it would stop!" Louisa groaned for what must have been the twelfth time that evening. The power had gone out just before dinner, and Charles insisted on everyone moving into one wing on the first and second floors and light fires so as to not strain the generator in heating the whole of Netherfield, and instead only heating a wing. As a result, there were only two common areas, and Charles wanted everyone in the same room to conserve the candles and the power. It also gave time for the housekeeper, the butler, the cook, the maids, the stable masters, and farmhands to eat in peace in the dining room. Charles had wanted everyone to eat all together, but they couldn't all fit. The result of all of this was Charles, Jane, Caroline, the Hursts, Lizzie and Darcy all in one room attempting to entertain each other. Mr. Hurst had suggested poker and everyone but Lizzie agreed. She just couldn't handle trying to talk to the incredibly shallow and false Bingley sisters, the dull Mr. Hurst and she really, really wasn't ready to deal with her sudden and absurd attraction to Will Darcy. So Lizzie, wisely in her opinion, grabbed _The Scarlet Pimpernel_ from the library and curled up near the fire to read one of her old favorites. No one bothered her for a solid half-hour, when, for some reason, Charles decided to invite her to join them. Normally, Lizzie would be extremely irritated with anyone who disrupted her reading, but Charles's smile was so friendly, she couldn't stay mad at him for long.

"No, thank you. I love this book, it is an old favorite." Lizzie smiled.

"Yes, Charles, leave her be. Eliza Bennet is a great reader and takes no pleasure in anything else." Caroline said, almost smug.

"That is not true at all. I am not a great reader, I have only read a small portion of what is out there to read, and I take pleasure in many things." Lizzie was curious as to why Caroline was suddenly on the offensive with her. True, she did not care for Caroline or care what she thought, but this was certainly a change from the polite disdain they always sort of held each other with.

"And what are you reading that keeps your interest more than a room full of people playing poker?" Charles asked.

"_The Scarlet Pimpernel_. I confess it is partially my lack of skill that keeps me from joining you, and now I am into my book so I do not want to leave it." Lizzie answered.

"Ah yes. 'They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere'. I love that book." Darcy said, almost smiling.

Lizzie was surprised. _The Scarlet Pimpernel_ did _not_ seem like the type of book the esteemed Earl of Devon would read. Sure, it was technically _literature_, but it was light and adventurous and fun. "This is not the book I had you pegged as liking."

"It's about a swashbuckling Englishman, how could I not like it?." Darcy nodded. "I like the intricacy of all the clever little plans to deceive the French. You, I assume, like the romance?"

"I enjoy it, yes. But I really like the character development and the swashbuckling quality as well. I really enjoy how they are both so trapped in a prison of their own making and if they would only talk to each other, as husband and wife should, they would have freed themselves much sooner." Lizzie shook her head, a little irritated that he would assume, though he was partially right. "I nearly cried when I read the scene in the garden where he-"

"Kisses the ground she walked on? Yes." Darcy smiled. "It didn't make me cry, but I have always believed that to be the kind of love that should drive someone to marriage."

"And what kind of love is that, Will darling?" Caroline batted her eyes at him, suddenly very interested in their little discussion.

"I believe Darcy is referencing real love. Not attraction or chemistry or fondness, but genuine lay-down-your-life love." Charles smiled at his friend. Darcy clearly had been unable to drive the lovely Miss Elizabeth Bennet from his mind because Charles had never heard his friend discussing the romantic qualities of a book. Ever.

"And he is right, I think. The marry without love would be...awful." Jane shuddered. "And to think so many still marry for all the wrong reasons. Money, fame, looks, social pressure."

"Yes but we are fortunate to live in such times that we no longer, as women, _have_ to marry to secure our futures." Lizzie said. "Though I always felt like Marguerite Blakeney could take care of herself."

"I for one am glad someone is making use of the library. I wish I appreciated it more but there always seems so many other things to do." Charles shrugged.

"You are in luck, Elizabeth," Darcy said dryly, "you are the first person Charles has ever complimented for reading. _I_ am always berated."

"That's because you are always reading when I want to do something!" Charles laughed.

"Elizabeth has just refused you wanting her to join in the card game. Hypocrite." Darcy accused his best friend.

"No offense, my friend, but Lizzie is a great deal prettier than you." Charles merely shrugged, grinning. "Jane, I cannot believe that you two are truly sisters. That such beauty should be all in one family hardly seems fair."

"You are very sweet, Charles." Louisa said in what Lizzie suspected was supposed to be a teasing tone. "And what of the women in your own family?"

Lizzie had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing._ Shallow she-dragons, the pair of you!_ She thought.

"We are indeed spoiled with such company of family and friends. Are we not Darce?" Charles said, smiling.

"We are." Darcy nodded and Elizabeth fought to keep the smirk off her face. One look at Darcy, however, let her know he shared her sentiments of the Bingley sisters. Lizzie was not vain by nature, and she knew she was not half as pretty as Jane, but Caroline and Louisa were unnatural and not in a good way. They looked painted, their hair didn't move, and while Louisa was very, very thin, Caroline was more so. Compared to them, Jane and Lizzie just looked _healthy_. And part wondered if Darcy was merely agreeing with his friend for the sake of politeness, or if he really didn't believe his early pronouncement of her being "barely tolerable".

Darcy was hoping Elizabeth would take his comment to mean that he was being a jerk when they first meat. He now knew that Elizabeth Bennet was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, not solely based on her looks, but on the combination of her looks and personality. Darcy had now seen her eyes shine with humor, intelligence and joy and felt that they were brown pools he would happily drown in.

"Are we going to play or chit chat? Because if we're going to chit chat, I'm going to bed." John Hurst grumbled, irritated at the lack of attention to the game.

"Go right ahead. I am perfectly entertained." Lizzie shrugged and turned back to her book.

The snow stopped overnight, but started again in the morning. It was nearly lunchtime when the power returned. Jane was telling Charles all about the many walks of Netherfield so he could know where to send the gardeners to work in the spring, Darcy was writing an email, and Caroline was checking to see all the news she had missed without the Internet. Lizzie contented herself with drawing in a borrowed sketchbook, and her designs for the new villain in the community theater show somehow kept looking like Caroline Bingley. Soon, though, Caroline grew tired of her own laptop and made her way over to Darcy.

"What a wonderful long email you have written Will darling. Do tell Georgiana that I was so impressed with that little guestbook she made for Charles. And I do hope to see her in London after New Years." Caroline said sweetly.

"You have a computer and email and text messages Caroline, you can tell her yourself. As for the length of the email, for one who communicates mostly via text, it only seems long from your perspective." Will said.

This little scene piqued Lizzie's curiosity. Caroline was either oblivious to Darcy's lack of interest or obstinate in spite of it.

"Still, such a long message. You are a great brother to her." Caroline smiled.

"I wasn't aware you had a sister, Darcy." Elizabeth said, looking up form her sketching as curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Darcy minimized the email to show Elizabeth his desktop, a young girl smiled up from the screen. If there was one thing that always brought a smile to his lips, it was talking about his sister. "Her name is Georgiana, she is ten years younger than me, and I have cared for her most of my life."

Lizzie felt her heart soften at the tenderness in his voice when talking of his sister. "She is beautiful. She doesn't look a thing like you, except for the eyes."

"Yes. My sister was fortunate enough to inherit traits mostly from my mother. But we both have my father's eyes. She studies piano at a conservatory in London so I prefer to email her so I do not disturb her practice." He nodded, and he wondered how Georgiana would like Lizzie and vice-versa.

"She must be talented indeed to be studying at a conservatory at so young an age." Lizzie made sure he could see her smile was genuine. She wanted to be sure he understood she meant no criticism on his sister. Darcy couldn't help but return her smile; he was very proud of his sister and glad that Lizzie thought highly of her. The room lapsed into silence and they both resumed their previous activities.

They passed the next few minutes in comfortable silence, but then another idea seemed to hit Caroline.

"Eliza, would you show me where the walks are? I'll never get it out of Charles." Caroline asked. "I'd like to know which ones could be seen from the window."

Lizzie shrugged and joined her, mostly out of curiosity as to what the incredibly creative Caroline Bingley would do to flirt with Will Darcy. They walked from window to window, and Caroline was not listening to a word she said about the walks so Lizzie started spouting nonsense.

"Join us, Will darling." Caroline said. Will found her voice grating but had watched them because of Elizabeth. At the moment, he was biting his tongue to keep from laughing, Lizzie had just finished telling Caroline about the best walk to get abducted by aliens on and it was all clearly falling on deaf ears.

"Thank you, no. Since you are clearly not listening to Elizabeth, you have only chosen this activity because you are bored or you think you look better standing. If the first, I cannot help you, and if the second, the view from here is much, much better." Darcy shrugged, trying out this teasing humor Elizabeth seemed to enjoy so much.

_ So you do have a sense of humor!_ Lizzie thought, smiling at him.

"Shocking." Caroline teased. "How should we punish him?"

"Tease him of course." Elizabeth said. Will hoped she could find something little to tease but nothing major. He wasn't used to this sort of interaction.

"On no, Will Darcy is not to be teased. He is without fault." Again, Caroline was ridiculous with her attentions.

"Faultless? And do you consider pride a fault or virtue Darcy?" Lizzie asked, teasing.

"Pride is fine when regulated." Darcy shrugged; this was an interesting observation from her. "And though I am not without faults, I try to avoid the ones that would expose me to ridicule. But, for one who makes a joke of serious things, I guess it wouldn't matter."

"I would never dream of making fun of anything sensible, but the silliness of others, their more ridiculous traits, I enjoy laughing at. Take my friend Charlotte for example. She has never been in a relationship longer than three weeks and yet she will be the first to hand out relationship advice." Lizzie explained.

He thought for a moment. He understood what she meant but was having a difficult time in finding one of those traits in himself. He did have a fault that he considered not entirely rational but it was a bit serious. "My temper is not good. When someone loses my good opinion, it is usually irreversible."

"So your fault is to hate everyone." Lizzie nodded, taking his seriousness and giving it a bit of levity with some gross generalization.

"And yours is to willfully misunderstand them." Darcy smiled, returning the favor.

It was then that the Hursts joined them and they all went in to lunch, ending Elizabeth's somewhat invigorating verbal sparring session with Will Darcy. Not only was he cute, he was intelligent, though perhaps a little too serious.

Another day passed before the ladies could go home. Lizzie was happy to be away from Bingley's false sisters and Mr. Hurst. On one hand she wanted to get as far away from Darcy as possible and on the other she really would miss seeing him everyday. Charles she liked a great deal, and was sad for her sister that they had to leave, Jane almost seemed at home at Netherfield.

Darcy was conflicted as well. He was glad to see them go because Elizabeth upset his equilibrium so much that he hadn't had a good night's sleep since he met her. Having her just down the hall was…maddening and wonderful at the same time. Darcy needed to think, to deal with this attraction. Not only had Elizabeth invaded his dreams, she had apparently taken up residence in his head, involving herself in his every thought. Darcy hadn't really realized how bad it was until he received a reply to the email he sent Georgiana after the power came back.

_From: gdarcy _

_To: ___

_ Brother,_

_ I'm glad you are enjoying Charles's new house! It sounds exciting. I would be so glad to join you there for Christmas but I already promised Aunt Rose I would stay with them. So you better just come to London and be with us. Andy and his wife are going to be there for dinner Christmas Eve, and then they are off to her family's estate in France. I, as little sister, hereby demand that you join us for dinner, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Then you can go back and have all the fun you want with Charles. Please?_

_ Now you have to tell me more about Elizabeth. I can tell by your email that she has to be pretty. How old is she? She sounds so funny! I can't imagine anyone teasing you, but sometimes I think it would be good for you. You never got to be a young man, because you had to take care of me. I will always be thankful for that, but sad because I think you grew up too fast. You must really like her; I have never heard you praise one woman so much._

_ I'm glad you gave me a blow-by-blow. Caroline is crazy, stay away from her clutches, brother! I want to meet this Elizabeth; I feel like she is everything I've always wanted to be in public but am too shy. I admire her dedication to running, I remember when you trained and you had to run in all this awful weather. I'm very glad she is safe and that you were her knight. And she's read our book!_

_ I hope you don't let your doubts stand in your way. Because every doubt you have you seem to have another trait of hers that balances it out. See you in three days Brother. I mean it!_

_ Love,_

_ Sister_

Will chuckled as he read the email again. He was glad to see Georgiana was starting to sound like her old self again. Making demands but adding "please" and her warning to him at the end had him thinking. He hadn't heard from Rick but that was normal. Perhaps, though, he had gotten the advice he was seeking from his cousin via Georgiana.

She was probably spending a great time with the Fitzwilliams now that Christmas was so close. Normally, the whole family would spend the Christmas season in Derbyshire, the Fitzwilliams in Matlock and the Darcys at Pemberley, but they would all come to Pemberley for Christmas. Georgiana had several performances this year and it was easier for the elder Fitzwilliam brother to see his family and then head to France with his wife from London than from the north. Darcy had always intended to Christmas with his family, but he enjoyed Georgiana's demands all the same.

Georgiana would like to meet Elizabeth. She thought she was a good influence on him. He couldn't disagree, and he knew Elizabeth would be a wonderful influence on his sister. She was grace and elegance rolled into a tiny firecracker of a woman who knew how to speak her mind and display good manners at the same time. Perhaps it was time to stop fighting his feelings for her and give it a try. But then again, what he told Charles wasn't a lie. She was very, very young compared to him. With a family like hers...Darcy threw up his hands in frustration.

"I'm resigning myself to fate." He shook his head, speaking to the ceiling. "I'll just go where fate takes me."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 3

Thus resigned to whatever fate had in store, Darcy ordered a costume to pick up when he was in London. The day before he left for London, he and Charles went on a ride to see if the snow had damaged anything. As they rode, they spotted the Bennet sisters walking several men, one of who was a very unwelcome site. One George Wickham, a man he never thought he'd see again and never wanted to. Charles, being the friendly man he was, rode over to say hello to his girlfriend. Darcy followed, determined not to let Wickham affect him.

"I thought you were shopping all day!" Charles smiled.

"We couldn't find what we were looking for so I have given up." Jane sighed and Darcy, who was always watching Elizabeth, saw her wink at his friend. He made a mental note to ask Charles about that later, his focus now was on George Wickham. The man seemed to look at him, gloating and standing very close to Elizabeth.

"Oh! Have you both met George Wickham? He's in the army and is the most handsome man in the world." Lydia Bennet exclaimed. "Are you inviting the army crew to the ball Mr. Bingley?"

"Nice to meet you." Only Darcy could detect the slight shift in Charles's demeanor, Elizabeth, he knew, had already guessed that the he and Wickham had an unpleasant history. "I will ask Caroline, Miss Lydia, and see. I have no idea who is invited, she's in charge of that."

Lydia seemed to accept that answer and Darcy sent up a prayer of thanks for such a good friend. He was going to have to tell the whole story to Charles, maybe even to Jane, and definitely Elizabeth so that things wouldn't get out of hand. Especially since Elizabeth had smiled at Wickham in a way she never had with Darcy, and it made his blood boil with anger and jealousy to see that snake of a man receiving attentions he didn't deserve. Darcy wasn't sure what line George had fed the women, but that viper had more charm than the devil himself. When they were younger, Darcy had always envied Wickham for his easy manner, but now that he knew the self-absorbed, self-serving, heartless man Wickham truly was, he could never again envy the creature. Fortunately, the visit was short and he and Charles were on their way again.

Lizzie watched them go, confused. There was clearly something there between the two men, and whatever it was, Will Darcy was furious. Even Charles had gotten a little tense, though she was probably the only one who noticed. And while she knew Darcy wasn't the nicest man, he wasn't cruel either.

"George, what was that? If you don't mind me asking, I noticed more than a little tension between you and our proud Earl." Lizzie asked, curious. Her sisters had out-stripped them, so the two walked together at a leisurely pace.

"We were once friends. Almost brothers." He admitted, sounding reluctant. "We grew up together, Darcy and I, his father treated me as a son, loved me as a son. I do not wish to complain, but His High and Mighty is the reason I cannot find work anywhere except the army. I was to have my school paid for, but when I wanted to do other things for a few years, we had a disagreement that ended with me losing the generous inheritance the old Lord Darcy had meant for me, but never written down. It also got worse several years later, when I came to him in need of funds because of an accident. He refused to help me and blacklisted me so I could not find work."

Elizabeth nodded, listening intently. A few moments in the tale, George had sounded bitter, but for the most part seemed sad. Poor man! "But why? I mean, surely he gave you a reason, even if it was a mistake."

"He would never say. But I think…no, I know…it is because his father loved me more and Darcy couldn't handle the jealousy." George sighed. "His _pride_ couldn't handle it."

Lizzie just couldn't imagine anyone doing that to another human being. But Will Darcy's personality seemed to waffle between open hostility and a gentle kindness. If George happened on him at the wrong moment, Lizzie believed Darcy perfectly capable of doing all that he was accused of and it made her angry. Not angry, furious. Darcy's jealousy would certainly demand that he squash his rival like a bug and his own admission of being resentful would make him go that one step further and blacklisting poor George.

Lizzie meditated on the issue long after George had left her at the house. The more reasonable part of her brain shouted at her to give Darcy a chance, that she was still stinging from his slight insult, and that she had only met George. Her pride, however, still remembered the slight and his sometimes-hostile personality and was in a rage against him. The strangest part of the whole thing was how much the news of Darcy's betrayal hurt, and she wasn't sure why, but it did.

"Darcy, I don't have to invite them." Charles said as they rode.

"Many of the army men aren't bad. Just talk to the commander, let him know to discretely tell Wickham to stay the hell away. If he shows, I'll take him outside and you won't see him again." Darcy shrugged. "But I won't cause a scene."

"Will, that man is not welcome in my home. Period. I like your advice though, it seems nicer." Charles nodded. "We should warn the girls."

"Charles...let me. You can tell Jane what you know, I'll be sure to warn Elizabeth somehow. That's who he is after, I can tell. He's fed them some line or sob story I'm sure but his true nature will come out in time." Darcy shrugged. "Lets talk of something else, I can't stand to even think of that bastard."

"Fine. Then tell me who you are dressing as for the ball." Charles smiled.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You'll accidentally tell Caroline!"

"I will not! I don't want you dating my sister any more than you want to. Tell me?"

"Do you swear on Jane Bennet not to tell your sisters?" Darcy narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"I do." Charles nodded in mock solemnity.

"Shakespeare." Darcy said.

"The Bard himself? Brilliant." Charles grinned. "Race home?"

Before Darcy could respond, Charles was galloping away.

Christmas and the promise of a costume ball for New Years distracted Lizzie from her musings against Darcy. And her sister's flourishing relationship with Charles Bingley was certainly not a bad thing.

"Oh Lizzie, he is the most wonderful man I have ever met." Jane smiled as they worked on their costumes together. They were nearly finished, which was good considering the New Years Masked Ball at Netherfield was tomorrow.

"I believe Charles Bingley believes _you_ to be the most wonderful woman _he's_ ever met." Elizabeth laughed.

Since Charles Bingley had moved in, Jane had spent almost every day in his company, either just for a meal or an outing. She had been floating on could nine for weeks, completely enamored with their newest neighbor. For his grand ball, Lizzie and Jane had decided to create their own costumes so they could have exactly what they wanted.

"You will not match anyone in that costume, Lizzie." Jane shook her head as Lizzie held up a beautiful renaissance gown. "Why don't you get yourself a date? It's beautiful, by the way."

"Thanks. I told the man I was interested in that I was to be a Shakespearean woman. It is his choice to show up as a Shakespearian man." Elizabeth shrugged. "And I like him, but I'm not sure about him."

"Well, as much as I like George, you did only just meet the man." Jane laughed. "And then Charles and Will showed up…that was tense, wasn't it? Did you ask Wickham about it?"

Elizabeth nodded, remembering that conversation clearly. She had thought she had forgiven Darcy for being rude to her at the club; she had seen Caroline Bingley in action and was sure that the Earl of Devon had to be very wary of all women. And Darcy had been kind at times when they met, but his social graces were schizophrenic at best. What Wickham had told her completely crushed her and infuriated her. She realized she had not let his comment go and was sure now that he was arrogant, proud, and a jerk, and was only nice when he wanted something.

"Janie, should I take George's word?" Elizabeth asked. "I like him, and on a bad day, I believe Darcy capable of all that. Could it have just been a misunderstanding?"

"Will is a kind, generous man. I can't imagine him acting so cruel towards another human being. I'm sure it is blown out of proportions on both sides, such feuds often are. You should just enjoy dancing with George Wickham and ask Will about it later." Jane shrugged.

Elizabeth nodded, not wanting to argue with her much more tolerant sister. She instead changed the subject to the upcoming masked ball. The community theater studio was a great place for them to make their costumes and gossip. It was the one place their distant cousin (who visited them for Christmas and decided to stay for the ball) didn't know about.

Bill Collins was a slimy little man, more obsequious and aggravating than any man she had ever met, and Lizzie couldn't stand more than five minutes of his personality. He had taken a liking to Jane, but Mrs. Bennet had discouraged him immediately. In her mother's mind, Sir Charles Bingley was worth far more than their moderately wealthy cousin, and Jane should go for the bigger pot. This had not exactly discouraged Bill Collins, and he turned his attentions to the sister next in age and beauty to Jane: Lizzie. This was not something Elizabeth particularly enjoyed.

"Lizzie!" Came Mrs. Bennet's shrill voice. "Lizzie!"

"Oh no, they found us." Elizabeth groaned.

They could hear Lydia, Kitty, Mrs. Bennet and Bill through the closed door of the studio. Elizabeth wondered if Mary was with them.

"We've been discovered, Lizzie." Jane smiled at her sister. "Or is there a back door?"

"Not from here." Elizabeth sighed and opened the door, noting that Mary was indeed with the boisterous party. "Mama. What are you all doing here?"

"We're going shopping for the party!" Mrs. Bennet smiled. "We came to get you both. Bill would love to know what you are wearing, Lizzie."

"Well, no one but Jane gets to know that, so he'll just have to be surprised like everyone else." Elizabeth replied, trying not to snap at her mother. "We could use masks and accessories, though."

As they made their way to the car, Mr. Collins jumped in Lizzie's car with her and Mrs. Bennet pulled Jane into the other vehicle.

"Lizzie, I don't think it's escaped your notice, but you are very beautiful, and I would very much like to be your date to this party." He said. "I'm sure you will be resplendent in whatever you wear. No doubt those with titles will even take notice."

"Bill, I'm not taking a date, period." Elizabeth sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

"Ah, there's my purse." Jane smiled, opening the door. "Oh, I'll just ride with you. There are far too many Bennets in Mama's car."

Lizzie offered up a silent prayer of thanks for her sister's impeccably timed rescue.

"Lizzie-" Collins began, but she was quick to interrupt.

"Where are we going?" Lizzie asked.

"Now-" again, Bill was interrupted.

"The costume shop on Knoll." Jane replied. "They do custom masks. I was going to buy a plain one a decorate it myself."

Bill again opened his mouth to speak, but Elizabeth beat him to it.

"Me too. We'll stop at the fabric store on our way back here. The party is tomorrow; we really have to finish our dresses. Any luck with the shoes?"

"Now really-" Bill was clearly frustrated now.

"No. I will simply have to wear the white ones." Jane replied. "Though Charles seems to think I'll get some."

"He's a guy. What would he know about ladies shoes?" Elizabeth shook her head.

Jane stifled a giggle. Bill had become quite red-faced, and looked as though he was about to burst. Elizabeth didn't even try to hide the grin on her face. It amused her to no end to annoy the man. Making him be silent was probably the worst form of torture imaginable to him, but they kept it up almost the whole ride, much to the two sister's enjoyment.

Charles paced. He was resplendent in his Prince Charming costume, his mask laid down on a table somewhere and forgotten. Even Caroline and the Hursts were into the ball, despite the fact the guest list was full of people who's society was still lacking. Caroline looked amazing in a skin-tight shimmering black dress, a fake gun peeking out from the slit in her skirt. Bond girl. For a fraction of a second, Darcy felt bad he wasn't wearing a tux. Then she opened her mouth.

"Charles, quit grinning like an idiot and help me! I don't know where Louisa is and I know no one else will notice this, but this centerpiece is not centered! We are above these people and should show off the house accordingly." Caroline snapped.

Darcy was definitely glad he had gotten an actual costume. Still, a peace-offering was in order. "Caroline, the house looks very nice."

"Thank you Will darling." Caroline smiled and her voice turned to that nasally syrupy sound she used when she was trying to butter him up. "Why didn't you tell me you were joining in the festivities with such gusto?"

"It must have slipped my mind." Darcy shrugged. "I'll make sure the bartender is ready."

Mr. John Hurst, dressed as Dracula and was already drinking a glass of something red.

"Louisa told me if I had to drink then it had to look like blood. Blasted wine. I want a brandy." Hurst grumbled.

"I'm sure you will be drunk in no time, John." Darcy replied. Really, the man was useless. "Could I get a shot of whiskey please?"

Darcy knocked the shot back quickly, allowing the alcohol to burn down his throat. He was hoping to clear his head. On one hand, he knew he would see Elizabeth. But he wasn't sure. The costume, odd hair-do, and mask did present an opportunity. If he never removed the mask, then she would likely not know who he was. Then he could decide if he was going to spend the evening trying to attract her or crushing his own feelings.

"Oh Darce. Our friend won't be attending. I talked to Colonel Forster, and he said Wickham had already asked permission to go to London, so we are worry-free."

"You are a good man, Charles." Darcy nodded. "And you look very charming."

"And you look like a fantastic writer, I barely recognize you. I'm so excited." Charles grinned. "I have the best present for Jane!"

"It's not a diamond, is it?" Will asked, concerned.

"No. Not yet. We've only been dating six weeks, Darce. But it's in the not-to-distant future." Charles replied. "Do you think she's a bad match?"

"Be sure before you do it, Charles. You know what our lives are like. Why you have to have gates and security when you throw a party. Jane herself is wonderful, it's the family that needs improving." Darcy sighed. Truly, the match was not bad for Charles, if it weren't for the horrible manners of her family, Darcy would have pushed Charles at Jane. He did not have the same worries as Darcy; Charles wasn't a hereditary Peer with titled relatives who expected him to marry well. "What are you giving her?"

"Lizzie has been my secret agent, finding glass slippers for Jane for me to give her and keeping Jane from finding any." Charles laughed. "I think she really enjoyed Jane's frustration. I think it is appropriate that Prince Charming puts on Cinderella's glass slippers."

"You, my friend, are a hopeless romantic." Darcy couldn't help but laugh and pat his friend on the back. "Word of warning, you might want to tell the bartender to have a special diluted bottle of red wine to serve Hurst. The way he's going the guests won't even be here before he's sloshed."

Charles rolled his eyes and nodded. His sister's husband was as useless as they came. Drunk at parties, dull as tombs sober. He didn't understand why Louisa didn't kick him to the curb. But he needed to hurry, guests would start arriving any minute and he needed to keep his brother-in-law on the slow path to inebriation.

The ball arrived with great fanfare in the Bennet household. The only time having five daughters and three and a half bathrooms was a burden to them was when they all had to be somewhere at once. Fortunately for Jane and Lizzie, their room also had a vanity with a large mirror and a standing mirror, making getting ready easy. They took turns doing the other's hair and makeup, chatting happily about the evening to come.

"I will not take my mask off all night." Elizabeth said as she secured it. Mr. Bennet was hollering from downstairs for them all to get moving, the car was leaving in two minutes with or without them.

"Then you will really be a mystery woman." Jane smiled. "But what if you want someone to know you?"

"They will." Elizabeth shrugged and they made their way down the stairs. Amazingly, considering how late they were, the Bennet family was not the last to arrive at Netherfield, one of the last, but not last.

The guest had filtered in slowly, and then came almost all at once, the Bennet family being one of the last to arrive. The hall was decorated beautifully and even Mrs. Bennet was awed to silence of the decorations, quite a feat.

Darcy could only see Jane; she looked lovely in her blue ball gown, complete with her tiara, sparkling white mask, and evening gloves. As soon as they entered, Charles handed Jane a shoebox. Jane giggled and smiled happily over her glass slippers and rewarded her boyfriend with an appropriate but affectionate kiss. It was then that Elizabeth finally came into view from behind her father. She was in a full cream colored renaissance gown, a cream and gold mask, her hair done up in curls with jewels in it, they sparkled brilliantly when she turned.

Elizabeth grinned at Jane's excitement; she had helped Charles locate a pair of pseudo glass slippers and had personally thwarted Jane from finding some. Her older sister, though dubious of the box at first glance, was delighted, and the shoes fit her perfectly. Elizabeth looked around the room, trying to find the charming George Wickham, but he was nowhere in sight. Darcy, meanwhile, moved over to the bar for a little more liquid courage.

"Who are you supposed to be, Lizzie?" Charles asked, grabbing her attention. "And did you make that yourself?"

"Not the whole thing. I didn't have time. We just found some dresses and…fixed them up a bit." Elizabeth grinned, "And I am Katherine, from _Taming of the Shrew_. Or any heroin in Shakespeare, really."

"Well, you look lovely." Charles nodded, winking at Jane. "Do you have a date, perhaps?"

"No." Elizabeth shook her head; curious that perhaps he had seen someone dressed to match her. "Charles, you look wonderful."

"Thank you, Lizzie. You know, I think I see the Bard himself over by the drinks. Why don't you go and speak to him? You obviously have something in common." Charles pointed to the man.

He was too tall to be George Wickham, but was well built and appeared to be quite handsome. His costume looked like something out of the Tudors, Shakespearian with a little punk thrown in.

"Maybe." She whispered, considering her idea to remain a mystery woman.

Will noticed Lizzie chatting happily with Charles, and then saw his supposed best friend pointing over to where he stood at the bar. What was he up to anyway? They looked over at him and he nodded, praying that his stomach would stop tying itself in knots. Elizabeth floated over to him, a curious smile on her half covered but still beautiful face.

"My lady." Darcy bowed; she didn't recognize his voice. Lizzie knew it was familiar, but she could not say who it was.

"Good sir." Elizabeth dipped into a low and very graceful curtsy. To make him more of a mystery, Lizzie couldn't tell if he knew her or not, his expression was difficult to read. Darcy could tell she knew she had seen him before but didn't know who he was.

"Please, call me Will." He said softly, taking her hand. "I know there is no music just yet, but…when it starts…would you care to dance?"

"Yes." Elizabeth nodded, noticing for the first time that her heart was pounding in her chest and walked away to see her friend Charlotte.

Darcy couldn't believe his ears, she had said "yes", and his heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. So much for crushing his attraction, he now knew that he would never be happy until Elizabeth Bennet was his wife. _Slow down, old man_, he warned himself. _She is much younger than you_.

Charlotte, her mask already atop her head, grinned as Lizzie walked over to her.

"Lizzie, you look wonderful." Charlotte smiled. "Did you match him on purpose?"

"No, and don't tell me who he is. I am going to remain the mystery woman tonight, perhaps he is trying to remain mysterious as well." Elizabeth shook her head. "You are stunning."

Indeed, with her curvaceous figure and dark hair, her skin tanned by the summer sun, Charlotte looked wonderful as the Egyptian Princess she was portraying. Her entire family had dressed in that manner, and they looked adorable.

The band started playing and she heard the familiar sound of someone's throat clearing behind her. Thinking it was the mystery man come to collect his dance she turned, grinning.

"I wonder," Mr. Collins, who was dressed as a priest, said. "If I may have this dance."

Lizzie was many things, but she was not rude. One dance would not kill her. She reluctantly nodded and let him lead her onto the floor. Better to just get it over with and not have to worry about it the rest of the night. Bill was a horrible dancer, stepping on her feet three times and clinging too closely to her.

Darcy had been so lost in his musings on Elizabeth, he had missed the band starting up. Shaking his head at his own thoughtlessness, he went to find her, only to see her in the arms of a short, smarmy man, a pained look on her face. Darcy decided that this was not a dance she had wanted to accept, and figured this was as good a time as any to cut in.

"Excuse me, may I cut in? I believe the lady promised me the first dance?" Darcy said, making sure he was standing at his full height. He didn't want to scare the man, just intimidate him a little.

"Now really-" Bill Collins began to complain.

"Bill, he is right. I did promise him the first dance. Perhaps later in the evening." Elizabeth smiled graciously.

"It seems I am overruled." Bill glowered and walked away.

Elizabeth smiled softly at Darcy, making his heart melt just a little bit more, and muttered a small "thank you."

They danced for a while in silence, both sizing each other up. Darcy could not comprehend the joy of having her in his arms. She was so small, shorter than him by almost a foot and very light on her feet. Elizabeth enjoyed the feelings she was having as well. She felt as though her feet never touched the floor and her heart fluttered more with every spin. He was an excellent dancer, and upon closer inspection, very familiar looking and _very _attractive. He was taller than she was, and well built. The only thing that bothered her was his identity. With more than half his face covered, though, she couldn't place where she knew him. Darcy skillfully whirled and twirled her across the floor and they both forgot other people where there.

"You look very lovely my Lady." Darcy smiled at her.

His smile made her feel weak in the knees. Never before had anyone had such an effect on her. She found herself wanting him to remove his mask. Her sparkling eyes captivated Darcy and the way her dark curls framed her face.

"Thank you Will." Elizabeth bit her lip in such a way that made Darcy weak in the knees. "You may call me Elizabeth. So, did you match me on purpose?"

"No, actually. I always have enjoyed Shakespeare, and figured that would be perfect." Darcy replied. "And what made you decide to come as such a lady?"

"I've been reading sonnets and plays since I was a little girl. Anything Shakespeare writes I find beautiful." Elizabeth said. "And I decided a little homage to my favorite character, Katherine, was in order."

"I do believe you would surpass any of Shakespeare's maidens in beauty." Will grinned. "But, of course, his ladies were played by men."

"Thanks, I think." She giggled, amused to find him romantic, charming, and witty.

So her favorite was the shrew. That was interesting. "I hope you are not declaring yourself to be a shrew by coming as Katherine?"

"No. I love her because she stands her ground, and in the end in rewarded with a marriage that is equal in mind and fortune, something she has always wanted. I never considered her truly a shrew, and I never considered her tame, merely...satisfied." Lizzie smiled.

Darcy had never heard that take on Taming of the Shrew, but now that he thought about it, she was right. Perhaps Lizzie, too, was not to be tamed but satisfied by an equal match. He could be her equal, possibly. Where she was lively, he was serious, and their wits clearly matched up well if their sparring sessions at Netherfield were any indication.

"You know, I have never heard it described like that, but now that you say it, you are perfectly right. That, though, sounds like you've done a paper or two on the subject." He said. "Tell me I'm right."

"You are. I did a summer at Oxford when I was sixteen on Shakespeare. It was amazing. But, I'm pretty sure everyone has written a paper or two on the Bard." Lizzie shrugged. "Fess up, what was yours on?"

She was right, of course, everyone he knew had done at least one Shakespeare paper at University. "Sonnet 29." Will shook his head. "I think it is the single most beautiful sonnet ever written. Followed closely by 116, but 29..."

"Interesting. I'd like to hear your arguments as to why you think that. It is so much darker than 116."

"_Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, happily I think on thee, and then my state, like to the lark at break of day arising, from sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate; for thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings, that then I scorn to change my state with kings. _His love is all the more real for the darkness." Darcy was enjoying this. He hadn't been able to discuss Shakespeare like this since University, and he realized how he had missed such stirring academic debates. He looked up, distracted by the sight of Caroline Bingley headed their way. The woman was nothing if not persistent, and he needed to give her the slip somehow. "Would you excuse me a moment? I have a rather odious duty I have to attend to and I'd rather get it out of the way. Then I can spend the entire evening convincing you of the merits of Sonnet 29."

"I understand duty. You rescued me from mine, should I save you from yours?" Lizzie's smile was sweet and caring. He felt like his heart was going to explode; he had never felt so much for a woman in his life.

"No, thank you. But would you meet me in the gardens in half an hour? Then, if you will have me, I'll be yours for the evening." Darcy had to bite back the words "I'll be yours forever", this was beyond an attraction, and he knew it. He was done for, and somehow, he didn't mind.

"I'll not say no." Lizzie smiled coyly. She was amazed at how attracted she was to this man without really even knowing him.

Suddenly, impulsively, Darcy bent down and kissed her gently. Any idea's she'd had about him being married or something, actually, any thoughts period, flew right out of her mind as she responded. She had never felt such a connection with another person before. When they parted, he couldn't stop the grin forming on his face.

"Sorry." He smiled at her and ran off, disappearing into the crowd.

Lizzie turned to see Caroline Bingley, and if looks could kill, Lizzie would be a pile of ashes at Caroline's feet right now. For a moment, she was confused at the other woman's actions. The only reason Caroline would glare like that would be…Elizabeth's stomach clinched and her heart began racing. She had been dancing with William Darcy. Not only that, but he'd charmed her, kissed her and she kissed him back. She had to find Charlotte, and fast.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 4

Darcy finally managed to shake Caroline and headed out towards the gardens. He ducked behind a shrub when he heard Elizabeth talking to her best friend Charlotte Lucas on the large porch.

"I saw you dancing with Lord Darcy." Charlotte said, "I daresay you'll like him, Lizzie. Did you know it was him?"

"Not until Caroline came over and looked at me like she wanted to vaporize me where I stood, no, I did not." Elizabeth replied, she hardly knew what to feel. "I've sworn to hate the man for goodness sake. I'm such a fool. Charlotte, he kissed me and I kissed him back."

"And why is this a bad thing?" Charlotte asked. "Looked like a hot kiss to me."

"I have a feeling my family is too objectionable people like him. He's so…rich." Elizabeth replied, she couldn't voice what she was feeling, because it wavered between undeniable attraction, hatred, pain and joy. Infuriating!

"Oh Lizzie…don't be such a snob!" Charlotte laughed.

Darcy hung back in the shadows at this, he was not one to eavesdrop, but his interest won over.

"Damn me and my curiosity." Elizabeth put her head in her hands. "I had to ask Wickham. I just had to!" The tears were close but she was fighting valiantly against them.

"Well, what'd he say?" Charlotte asked. "I mean, Wickham seemed like a nice man…but you barely know him. Who's word do you trust more?"

"Well, he said that Darcy withheld his inheritance from him, because of some silly thing, like he didn't want to go to a certain school or something, and then Darcy blacklisted him, so he can barely find work." Elizabeth explained. "And now I find myself attracted to the very man I can't stand! And you know I have other reasons for not liking him."

Darcy felt his blood boil. How could she believe a snake like Wickham over him! And what other reasons could she have? Certainly not his moment of stupidity in the club!

"Attracted? Lizzie, I think you've passed the 'attracted' line a long time ago. You know as well as I do that your reasons aren't reasons at all." Charlotte laughed. "You know what they say about the line between love and hate."

"Stop it." Elizabeth shook her head. "I…no…it just wouldn't work…well, maybe, if I didn't hate-_dislike_ him. Though, when we were dancing, it felt as if we were the only two people in the room. And when he kissed me…I can't describe it Charlotte. Is there really such a fine line between the two? No. I feel I am harming Wickham by being nice to Darcy, but I don't know if Wickham was telling the truth. Oh, why is my life so screwed up?"

"Did you think to ask Darcy about it?" Charlotte asked, as if stating the obvious. Elizabeth really hated it when her all-too-perceptive friend did that.

"Char, we can't even be in the same room without arguing almost. I'm sure he would just brush me off." Elizabeth replied sadly.

"Elizabeth Rigby Bennet! You spent the last half hour in his company, and you know what, he knew who you were. I didn't see a single fight. The man is handsome, he's rich, and he's got a title for crying out loud. You seem to have a lot in common, considering you didn't plan to come as a couple. What more, exactly, are you looking for in a boyfriend? A crown?" Charlotte scolded her best friend. "The man asked you to dance before they even started the music. That wasn't a whim request. The poor man is in love with you."

_Wait a minute! I've never said anything about love!_ Darcy thought, but turned his attention back to Charlotte, who continued berating her best friend.

"You are certainly falling for him, so maybe you should try this new thing, they're calling it communication."

While Darcy didn't appreciate anyone directing sarcasm at Elizabeth, this talk had been most informative. So Wickham had fed her a line of bull, that much was sure, but she had the good sense to be wary of it. And it gave him something to think about, why did Charlotte think he was in love with Elizabeth? He liked her, certainly, but was he in love yet?

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_Maybe_. Darcy sighed, and pulled his mask up on his forehead. He had to act like he hadn't overhead them, so he walked quietly over to where she now stood alone at the railing, looking out at the gardens.

Darcy waited a moment and then walked over to Elizabeth. Lizzie gripped the railing of the porch, hearing footsteps behind her; she valiantly tried to control her tears.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, laying a hand on her bare shoulder, which sent all sorts of sensations through his body, but he controlled them. "Elizabeth?"

The way he said her name and the feel of his hand on her shoulder felt so…right. But Lizzie was nothing if not stubborn, she was going to hold on to her hatred until he answered Wickham's accusations.

"It's nothing." She looked up, trying to smile, though a single tear escaped her eye.

"If it's important to you, it's important." Darcy said softly, lifting her chin up with his hand and, on a mad impulse, leaning in and kissing her tear away. Elizabeth blushed, but didn't pull back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No…and…yes…" Elizabeth sighed, his touch driving away most of her anger but she needed answers. "You can't kiss all your misdeeds away."

"Misdeeds? One comment on a bad night and I'm forever on your hit list?" He asked, not wanting her to know of his eavesdropping. Somehow, that made her angrier. He really did not understand this incredibly complex woman.

Lizzie's fury returned with his callousness. "Oh, so you don't even see poor George Wickham's situation as a misdeed? Why didn't you tell me it was you and saved me all this anger?" She snapped angrily and tried to walk off. Remorse or rational explanation she could take, callous disregard she just couldn't handle.

"Wait! Can't we talk about this?" Darcy grabbed her arm gently, wondering how such a smart girl could jump to such conclusions. And Wickham! Would he never be free of the man? "Can I at least defend myself? Or is the opinion formed from stories to be your only opinion of me?"

"Fine." Elizabeth nodded; he deserved the right to defend himself. "Tell me, then, why did you withhold his inheritance and blackmail him?"

"Is that what he told you? I guess he would see it like that." He smiled sadly at her, anger giving way to understanding. "But don't believe a word of it. Wickham and I grew up together, and my father dearly loved Wickham. So, when he died, he provided for schooling for Wickham and a trust fund. It was written in his will that I be given control over the assets, and that Wickham was to have an education, however much it cost. After about a year of school, he decided he didn't want to continue, he just wanted to have his money and…I don't know. So, he came to me and said that he wanted his money. I told him he had his trust fund, but unless he was going to school, my father provided no other payment for him. I knew Wickham was no good, but I gave him a considerable sum of money to go along with his trust fund and told him to take it with gratitude. Instead, he gambled it away and…"

Elizabeth waited expectantly. "And what?"

"The rest…can you keep this an absolute secret? I mean, this cannot go beyond yourself and Jane though I'd prefer it if she didn't know all the particulars." Darcy looked at her, his eyes searching for a reason to trust her.

"Yes." She nodded, and prepped herself for something terrible.

"When my sister was 15, he convinced her to run away with him, on the pretext of them getting married. Instead, he tried to rape her and would have succeeded, but I showed up. In order to keep my sister's name from being tarnished, because nothing happened, but he would claim it did, I paid Wickham off." Darcy said ran his hand over his eyes, praying that telling this woman would not come back to bite him in the ass. "She's never been the same…it took her months to be able to even hug me again."

Whatever she had thought, this hadn't been it. No one would make up a story about someone trying to rape his or her little sister, and Lizzie knew Darcy was honest. Sometimes he was honest to the point of being rude, but he wasn't a liar. Elizabeth took his hands in hers. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked, completely surprised, not only at her actions, but also at her apology.

"I…I have hated you for so long, and the reasons are so silly…I never should have believed that man, I mean, who tells that to a complete stranger?" Lizzie smiled ruefully at her own stubborn anger.

"Wickham has more charm than the devil himself, he can fool anybody. I should have said something to you immediately after that day, but…I admit I tried to quash my feelings." Darcy touched her cheek gently. "Though why I will never know, because you are far more beautiful and…delightful than anyone I've ever met. My feelings for you far outweigh my doubts about you."

Doubts? There was that honest to the point of being rude. Elizabeth stood away from him and raised her eyebrow quizzically. "What kind of doubts?"

"The fact that your family isn't that well-off, and they seem to be almost mercenaries, your family in general can not be taken out in public due to their lack of manners. I just have to watch out for gold diggers and women who just want to have my baby so they can demand money from me." Darcy explained, reaching for her again, but she pulled away.

"You have these doubts now?" Elizabeth asked, glaring at him, her anger returning.

"Do you want me to be happy about the fact that your mother is rude and loud? Or that your two youngest sisters can almost qualify as insipid? Your father is at times foolish, and the other sister dull? Your family, except you and Jane, are completely out of the status of polite society I am used to?" He was angry now. She was a tease and his control on his feelings - now a tumultuous mix of attraction, anger, passion and lingering bits of jealousy - was slipping.

Lizzie was incensed. Her family wasn't always the most appropriately behaved family, but they were her family. What could they possibly have to do with what was happening between the two of them? Proud, arrogant, insufferable man! "Why would you say something like that? You come here, acting kind, sensitive and caring, then, once you have me trusting you, you chose to tell me you liked me against your better judgment? Just when I think you are done with all the pride and arrogance, it comes roaring back. And _you_ are supposed to be a _gentleman_? Hah! Good evening, your Lordship." Elizabeth said curtly and walked off, unwilling to let him see her cry.

"Damn!" He exclaimed, throwing his mask to the ground. "Not a gentleman?"

Finally, the wave of emotions hit Darcy and he sunk against the railing, fighting tears. Tears! Good God what had this woman done to him? He snuck upstairs to his room, not wanting to see Charles or Jane and especially not Caroline. Darcy paced around his room for a while, then opened his laptop to do something, anything, but think about Lizzie and his email popped open with the latest email from Rick.

_From: colfitzwilliam _

_To: _

_ Will-_

_ I know I talked to you about this, but let me make it clear because you are stubborn when it comes to advice sometimes. Any woman who has gotten your interest and who will tease you mercilessly is worth hanging on to. Because she's probably real, and in our circle, real is the hardest thing to find and the most precious. Don't think so? Just look at Bingley's sister._

_ Good luck, Cuz._

_ -Rick_

That warning hit Darcy like a ton of bricks. He paced, he changed clothes, and paced. He thought and was furious at her. His anger was gradually cooling, however, and soon it was cool enough to allow for some self-reflection. All he had done was tell her why he had resisted his feelings for her.

"Idiot!" Darcy exclaimed, realization dawning on him.

"Darce?" Charles asked, knocking.

Darcy looked at the clock; it was just after 3 in the morning. But he was awake and he was assuming the party downstairs had only just wrapped up.

"Come in, Charles." Darcy sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Charles asked, walking in, still in costume.

"Not really, no." Darcy replied. "My own stupidity has lost me the woman of my dreams."

"Not yet. It will if you don't do something about it." Charles sighed. "Jane and Lizzie went home early, you know. I got my midnight kiss and then Jane was gone."

"Charles, I'm sorry." Darcy shook his head. "It seems selfishness is my thing today."

"Look, we've been friends for a long time and I've never seen you tied in so many knots over a girl. And I know you get this thing in your head about marrying below your station in life, but really man? The Prince is marrying someone below his rank, so you are certainly allowed to date someone like that." Charles sighed. "And you still have a chance at her, but you have to swallow your pride and do something about it."

"Charles, you're right." Darcy nodded. "About everything. I…I…love her. I can't believe it."

"Believe it, my friend. And count yourself lucky that the woman you love is gracious enough to give you a second chance if you behave better. Otherwise, you don't deserve her."

He nodded. Lizzie was the first woman to ever demand that _he_ deserve _her_, instead of the other way around. Darcy had fallen so short of the mark it was laughable. Not only last night, but all the other times he'd interacted with her. No wonder she bought Wickham's nonsense, Darcy was acting just like Wickham portrayed him. But how to solve this mess he found himself in? Lizzie certainly wouldn't see him. Not now. Despite all her remonstrations of his pride, she had enough of her own to refuse to see or speak to him again.

What could he do to convey how sorry he was when she wouldn't speak to him? Email and text seemed too...impersonal. But a letter, now that idea had merit. Darcy fell into bed around five, more than a dozen balled up bits of paper in the fire, and one letter sealed up and ready to go. He would deliver it personally, on his way to London, just in case Lizzie would see him. Darcy learned from Charles that Lizzie was staying with her sister, so he did not have to face all the Bennets at Longbourn. Jane was another matter. She was usually all that was kindness and sweetness, but he knew the sisters were fiercely protective of each other.

"Will Darcy, you are an idiot." Jane sighed, letting him in. "I'll not let you see her. It is only because Charles asked that I hear you out that you are even allowed inside."

The look on Jane's face was something Darcy never thought he'd see. She was _glaring_ at him.

"I cannot begin to apologize for my behavior. It was...I was not the gentleman I was raised to be. My only excuse is that Lizzie ties me up in such knots I can't think straight when I am around her. I've never been a particularly eloquent speaker, but I needed to apologize, to explain, and to beg forgiveness. Would you please, please give the letter to your sister? You can even read it first." Darcy held out the envelope but the eldest Bennet made no move to take it from him.

"Jane, I had no right to bring your family into something that was between the two of us. I am stupid, prideful, and completely ashamed of myself. I know I do not deserve your sister, but I care for her. More than I should. I cannot allow my own stupidity to drive away the most perfect woman in the world, I have to try everything in my power to win her back and I intend to do so."

Jane softened a little at this declaration, and took the letter from him. "I'll make sure she reads it."

Darcy nodded his thanks and quickly left. He meant to be in London the next day, he couldn't stand to be so close to her and not be with her. He'd return on February 1st, he'd given her an ultimatum of sorts, to meet him in the library if she forgave him and wanted to start a relationship with him – _any_ sort of relationship with him. Though that was a whole month away, he needed time and so did she. Time and separation. Darcy just clung to the hope that the old saying was true - "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

"Lizzie?" Jane asked softly knocking on her sister's door. "Lizzie, may I come in?"

"Yes." Lizzie sighed. "Is he gone?"

"Yes." Jane sat on the bed next to her sister, who was curled up in a ball under the covers. "He left you a letter."

"He could leave a thousand letters, I don't care." Lizzie grumbled stubbornly. "I'm not in the mood for his Lordship."

"Lizzie, I wish you would read it." Jane said softly. "For me."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and took the letter. Strange that he should write a letter, not call, email, or visit. She opened it up and read.

_My Dearest Lizzie,_

_ I can start with nothing but an apology. You were right, I haven't been a gentleman, I have missed every chance to be the man I was raised to be and I can only thank you for pointing out my unpardonable behavior. I cannot blame you for believing George Wickham's lies, not only is he skilled in telling them, but I behaved exactly as he painted me. I am too proud, I am arrogant, and I am an idiot._

"Right you are there, Mr. Darcy." Lizzie said to no one, as Jane had left her to read the letter in peace.

_ I will now admit, with some shame, that you are the first woman to ever reject me and I handled it badly to say the least. Let me thank you for rejecting me, because it caused some much-needed self-reflection. I have long since prided myself on being very rational, and I am well aware that I am considered a "catch" by almost every woman I've met. So had no doubt you would accept me no matter what I said. _

"Insufferable man!" Lizzie threw the letter down in frustration. He was _not_ off to a good start. A few minutes later, she picked it up again, curiosity getting the better of her.

_I cannot condone my actions, and I cannot think on them without disgust. I have come to realize, dearest Elizabeth, that I do not deserve you. I do not deserve your wit, your sweetness or your smile. I know all this, and yet I know the only place I can be truly happy is at your side. I am going to London for my sister and to take care of some family business. I will be back in the Netherfield library February 1st at 10 in the morning. I beg you to meet me there if you have found it in your heart to even consider forgiving me. Your presence doesn't have to mean anything, just that there is still hope that one day, you might allow me to enjoy the pleasure of your company. _

_ I will be the gentleman you deserve, and that is a promise no matter what you decide. You should know, however, that I am completely, totally, one hundred percent yours. I care for you more than I have ever cared for any woman I've known. I am haunted by the kiss we shared at Netherfield and the brief moments where your eyes I admire so much were shining with happiness at me. I truly hope I have not ended any chance we have by my own stupidity, but if I have, I deserve my fate. You are a singular woman, Elizabeth Bennet, and whomever you end up with will be a lucky man indeed. _

_ I only ask again for your forgiveness for the things I said. I had no right to bring your family into something that is between you and I. My censure of them was unpardonable. Until the 1st, I can only hope that this letter can convey the depths of my shame and my feelings for you. Until then, I hope that you remain well._

_ Irrevocably yours,_

_ Will Darcy_

Lizzie gasped. She was in shock. The letter had infuriated her in the beginning, and by the end she was in tears at the self-censure of this wonderful man and the feelings he expressed so beautifully. She needed her sister. "Jane!"

Jane rushed into the room to see Lizzie sitting on the bed, sobbing and clutching Mr. Darcy's letter.

"Oh Lizzie." Jane smiled, tears in her own eyes, and hugged her sister. "Are you going to meet him? I read it first, with his permission, because I didn't want him to hurt you any more, but it was ever so beautiful! I can't even be mad at him anymore, that closing was...so romantic."

"'Irrevocably yours'." Lizzie sighed. All she could think about was that kiss, and the way his curls framed his face so beautifully. "Janie...what do I do?"

"That decision is yours alone, dearest. I will only say that to write a letter takes more effort than modern communication, and to put such self-reproach in writing only serves to do him credit."

"It does." Lizzie looked at the letter again. "It certainly does."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 5

Thirty days. That's how long it had been since he had last been anywhere near his Elizabeth. Darcy's separation had been miserable; he had sulked and had spent a night (or seven) with Richard drowning his sorrows in very expensive alcohol. Richard's tastes always ran expensive when Darcy was buying. Georgiana was so worried about him she had called his Uncle Andrew Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock, to his house to talk to him. After that he made an effort to live a bit more, but he spent most of his nights tossing and turning, thinking with excitement and then dread on the date he had set.

Elizabeth had spent a similar month of what she could only call discomposure. At times, she was sure they would never work and was determined not to show up. Every time she thought that, though, she relented when she thought of the letter, and the obvious pain he was in. No one had ever stirred such feelings in her, positive or negative, and Darcy managed both.

"Insufferable, beautiful, irritating, wonderful man." Lizzie sighed, re-reading the letter that was now well handled. Jane's relationship with Charles had come out in the papers two weeks ago and now there wasn't a moment's peace for her poor sister. Jane's townhouse community was gated, so no one bothered her at home, but when she and Charles went out it was miserable. Jane barely seemed to notice, though. Lizzie wondered if she would handle it all so gracefully. Not likely.

The only other hesitation she had really surprised her. She had just turned 21, and Darcy was 28 if Lydia's Googling was to be believed. She always thought this was something that wouldn't bother her. And in a way, it didn't. But it did make her wonder…was she ready to get married if he was _The One_? And what if he wasn't there? What if her temper had turned him away? What if his pride was simply too wounded at being so angrily rejected that he couldn't stand to be with her anymore? At times that fear was almost paralyzing. And Jane was no help at all. Apparently, she and Charles had determined that Lizzie and Darcy were made for each other and would probably run off and elope and get married before they did. Her thirty days were up, it was time to decide to take the plunge or let it go.

Darcy paced. Ten AM had come and gone. It was 10:07, and she wasn't coming. The library door swung open. He couldn't bring himself to look at the door. Instead, he leaned against the mantle and stared at the fire.

"She didn't come, Charles." Lizzie could hear the anguish in his voice.

"Not off to a good start, not even getting my name right." Lizzie's grin broadened at the joy clearly written on his face when he heard her voice and turned to look at her.

"You came." His voice quivered, he was not quite the master of his emotions yet.

"Of course I came." Lizzie walked over to him and touched his face gently, brushing away a stray curl. "Welcome back."

"Start over?" He asked. Darcy was having a hard time stringing two words together. He wanted to stare at her forever, and memorize the face that haunted his dreams all over again.

"No. We've seen each other at our worst and yet here we are. I'd call that a strong foundation. If we are to be together, we need a strong foundation." She grinned. He was even more handsome now that she could look at him without anger or resentment. And the joy that filled his stunning blue eyes made him seem like the young man he really was.

Darcy took her hand and kissed it. "You understand what being with me means. I want to be with you, I want to see you all the time but I'm afraid being with me comes with some additional headaches...I'll try to keep us under wraps but the minute the press finds out about you..."

"I know. I've seen it in action, remember? Thank you for understanding my desire for privacy. I know that complicates things." Lizzie nodded. She had weighed all the negatives and he still came out miles ahead on the positive side.

"Kiss her already, idiot!" A voice came from the cracked door, and they heard her sister whispering furiously at Charles. Always nice to have an audience.

Lizzie laughed and smiled up at him. "Well?"

He touched her face gently, almost reverently and bent down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Lizzie was glad when his hands snaked around her waist because she was feeling weak in the knees.

When the need for air finally overcame their need to continue, Will rested his forehead against hers. "What do you say to a ride, my Elizabeth, as our first date? I'd like to get away from those well-meaning but prying eyes, I have missed you and I have no intention of sharing you with Charles, your sister, or anyone else in this house for the next few hours or so."

"Deal." Lizzie grinned. "I went through a lot of trouble to get here. It took me ten solid minutes to get into the library while dodging Caroline. But I warn you, I'm no horsewoman."

"Then I will teach you." He grinned like a schoolboy and they made their way to the stables. His brain was slowly starting to come out of the Lizzie-induced haze it was in and he could finally show her who he truly was. Darcy had a docile horse saddled for her.

"Lizzie, this is Titan." Darcy smiled and led her to the beautiful brown horse. "He used to be quite the wild ride, but has mellowed out considerably in his old age."

"Titan. You better be nice to me." Lizzie warned the horse.

Darcy led over a beautiful white horse that was significantly more agitated than Titan. "This is Ventus. I'll be riding him. He's not yet completely broken so it'll do him some good to travel with Titan."

"Do you always make it a point to know so much about the horses at your friend's house?" She asked.

"They came from Pemberley. I breed horses, and Charles bought several off me a few years ago. He moved them here from where they were stabled. Titan was one of my favorite rides for many years, he is a fine horse."

Will helped her up in the saddle and handed her the reigns.

"You have ridden before." Will said, noticing her seat.

"We do have horses, I know how to ride but I don't do it very often. I prefer to be on my feet." Lizzie felt the familiar fear creeping up on her.

"We'll start slow, I promise to keep you safe." He grinned and Lizzie felt her fear recede a bit.

Clearly Darcy was very comfortable, he barely did anything and the horse responded to him. He seemed to move with what Lizzie could only describe as grace. They plodded along for a few minutes, talking of nothing. She was still nervous on the horse, afraid he would bolt from under her at any moment. With a sigh, Darcy dismounted and led Titan over to a tree, tying him up. He knew she would never be comfortable riding the way she was going.

"What are you doing?" Lizzie asked warily as he climbed back on his horse.

"I want you to feel why riding is so fun." Will grinned and held out a hand. "Join me?"

Lizzie gulped, but agreed and with his help, moved over to his horse. They took off and she panicked, closing her eyes and clutching the saddle. Will made sure he had one arm holding her securely, she was clearly terrified and he didn't want that.

"Elizabeth, I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you." Darcy whispered in her ear. "Open your eyes."

Lizzie opened her eyes slowly; his hand around her waist felt so secure and his hot breath in her ear was distracting her considerably from her fear. Finally, she managed to look. It was breathtaking to see the country fly by, though they really weren't going that fast.

"I concede that riding is fun." Lizzie smiled as they slowed to a slow walk.

Will rested his head on her shoulder, enjoying a feeling of utter happiness. "Lizzie, I have a rather strange question."

"Then asked it, milord." Lizzie smirked, making the title sound both flippant and affectionate. Darcy wasn't sure how she did that, usually being addressed like that always sounded officious.

"Where, exactly, do you live? We were at Netherfield for almost two months and sometimes you were with Jane, sometimes you were at Longbourn, but now Charles tells me you've been in Kent."

Lizzie laughed and leaned back against him. "I live at all three, of course. Longbourn is home, Jane and I spend most of our time there, but she has her own place that I sometimes live at when I am at school. But this semester, I have to be in Kent for school because I am working on campus and have to take several intensive classes to finish my degrees."

"Degrees? Plural?"

"Literature and Theater. I'll spend next school year getting credentials to be a teacher."

Darcy turned them back to where they'd left Titan.

"Now it is my turn to ask a question. Where did you learn to write such beautiful letters?" It was time to hash out the ugly stuff so they could move on.

"I don't write beautifully, I write honestly." He replied and dared the big question he really needed answered. "Why did you believe Wickham?"

"He was charming and appeared sane. You waffled between flirting with me and being downright hostile. At the time, he seemed the more reasonable of the two of you." Lizzie shrugged. "Either way I know his character now, and I am ashamed of ever thinking him a better man than you."

Darcy didn't say anything to this; he just pulled her closer to him.

"Will, are you oblivious to Caroline or do you just ignore her?"

"A man blind and deaf wouldn't be oblivious to her intentions." He grimaced. "And despite several honest sit downs with myself and Charles...it just doesn't sink in."

"When Louisa asked how Charles felt about his own sisters' beauty...I had to bite my tongue to keep silent."

"Do not keep silent now! I'd like to hear your opinion of them. Personally, I think they look like poorly made plastic dolls." Will had no patience for women who starved themselves and submitted to endless plastic surgeries. Vanity was the most unattractive trait in a woman, and Lizzie and Jane, despite their good looks, were the opposite of vain.

"You are nicer than I am. I believe I was thinking more along the lines of 'miserable she-dragons'."

Darcy laughed and it made her heart flutter. It was a clear, beautiful laugh and she hoped to hear it more often.

"An accurate picture, indeed." He smiled and brought up the last thing he had considered as a legitimate obstacle. "I can't believe you are still at University. I am too old for you."

"Age is only a number. My father has always called me an 'old soul'." Lizzie wasn't remotely concerned about their ages anymore. If he was The One, he was The One. Age was irrelevant. "Now, you know the many places I live. Where do you live?"

"Pemberley is my home, but I spend a great deal of time at my house in London. More than I'd like. I prefer the country." He nodded. "Did...did the letter help?"

"Well Jane will now kill me if I do anything to hurt you or push you away. She was very impressed. " Lizzie smiled, but then grew more serious. "You have won over a very protective sister, no mean feat, but it made me realize your true character, and made me think of you in a way I really hadn't allowed myself to. I always thought you were attractive, and that you needed to smile more, but what I mistook for pride is sometimes only shyness, and after the way my mother behaved so much like a mercenary, I can hardly blame you for constantly having your guard up. And if my mother wasn't enough, there was always Caroline to prove to me how very rough you had it with women in general."

They reached Titan and he dismounted, helping her down gently but not letting her go. If he had his way, he would never let her go. But he had to move slowly with her, the difference in their age, though it didn't matter to her, demanded that he not rush her. "Elizabeth, I really am sorry for the way I treated you. It was not the way I was raised."

Lizzie took his hands. "You listen to me, William Darcy, I have already forgiven you, I'm well on my way to forgetting. You need to take my philosophy, once you learn your lesson from the past, think on only those things that make you happy."

"Fitzwilliam." He muttered. Might as well share this lovely bit of personal information.

"What?"

"My name."

"But everyone calls you Will." Lizzie looked at him confused.

"Would you want to go by Fitzwilliam?" Darcy replied incredulously.

"I think it is cute." She smiled. "If you tell me your full name so I can use it when I scold you, I will tell you my _awful_ middle name."

Darcy sighed and straightened. "Technically, I am the Right Honorable Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard Darcy, nineteenth Earl of Devon."

Lizzie giggled; she was going to have fun with that.

"I already know your middle name, though I would like to know what sort of middle name 'Rigby' is." Darcy grinned.

Lizzie looked at him, surprised. "How do you know what my middle name is?"

"I overheard your friend Charlotte using it." He blushed a little. "So, why Rigby?"

"Well, Mama was sure I was a boy. I was apparently uncooperative with the ultrasounds, and they had this whole list of names for me. When I turned out to be a girl, my mother wanted to name me Eleanor Rigby Bennet because that was her favorite Beatles song and she'd already named one girl after a relative so she didn't see the need to do it with any others. Fortunately, Papa stepped in and they compromised with Elizabeth Rigby." She sighed dramatically, "Well the Right Honorable Fitzwilliam Richard-"

"Andrew Richard" He corrected her.

"Whatever. We've shared some terrible, dark secrets and I think we should swear them to be secret."

"I agree. How would you propose we seal this agreement?" Will asked, responding to her teasing.

"You could always kiss-" Lizzie didn't even finish the suggestion before his lips were on hers. And like their previous kisses, nothing else mattered. When they came up for air, Lizzie noticed Ventus was gone.

"Will! The horse!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"Damn!" Will hurriedly untied Titan and leapt on him, galloping off after the runaway horse. How could he be so distracted? Well, he knew _how _but Darcy was usually the responsible one. And he had never in his life allowed a horse to get away from him.

Lizzie watched with unabashed admiration as he rode off after the horse, jacket and hair flying. Will Darcy was a very attractive man, and right now he looked like a hero out of a sappy romance novel. He finally caught the horse and rode over to her, securing Ventus to Titan's saddle and looping the reins around his hand after he dismounted. Even if he was distracted, that blasted horse was going to stay where he was.

"Now, where were we?" He asked.

"Careful milord." There was that impertinent yet affectionate title again. "You will be accused of showing an unseemly amount of affection for an Englishman."

He reached for her and Lizzie jumped just out of his reach.

"Minx!" Darcy exclaimed, and grabbed her, pulling her close to him and planting a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Is this more appropriate?"

"More appropriate but not as much fun." Lizzie pouted and he kissed her again, softly and lovingly. "Way more fun."

"Come, Elizabeth, I must get you home. Which is where, now?" Will asked.

Lizzie hit him playfully and rolled her eyes. "I am not ready to go yet."

"And I am not ready to let you go yet, but since it is our first date, I don't want anyone reporting to your father that I...was anything other than a gentleman."

Lizzie pouted again. Darcy decided that pout was evil. It demanded that he kiss her and agree to whatever she wanted and Elizabeth had discovered its power far too quickly.

"Please Will? I'm not ready to go." She said softly and he kissed her with as much passion as he could manage without going too far.

"Then lets see if Jane and Charles want to go to a late lunch." He stepped away from her and offered his hand.

Lizzie sighed but took his hand and they walked slowly back to Netherfield.

The six weeks were a whirlwind. Between Jane being bombarded by paparazzi anytime she and Charles went out, and Darcy sneaking Lizzie out for some amazing (and less public) dates, it was all Lizzie could do to concentrate on her studies.

Kent turned out to be very convenient for Darcy, because his Aunt lived in a large estate just a few miles away from Lizzie's dorm. It made Lady Catherine happy that he was there, and he could sneak off and see Elizabeth whenever he liked. Lizzie got used to rocks at her window being the signal that he was there, waiting, usually in a hooded sweatshirt or cap to hide his identity.

"I still don't know why I need to know how to ride." Lizzie smirked as they rode around the grounds of Rosings, his Aunt's estate. She hadn't been inside, but she really didn't care.

"Because it is fun." He replied. "You can't possibly still be scared."

"No." Lizzie made her answer sound unsure. She was no longer scared of the horse and actually felt very comfortable riding, but she knew if she pouted enough, Darcy would pull her onto his horse, and that she liked much better.

"I know what you're doing, my darling." Will smiled at her. "You are not scared of the horse, in fact, I think you are a very good rider now. Why the charade, my Lizzie?"

Will loved calling her that. "my Darling", "my Lizzie" and when he was being especially romantic, "dearest Elizabeth". She, in turn, called him all manner of pet names, her favorite being "milord" which, though it was his title, always rolled off her tongue with a bit of impertinent affection.

"You dare accuse a lady of falsehood!" Lizzie exclaimed indignantly.

"Lizzie." He gave her his sternest look.

"I admit to nothing, but usually at this point in my complaints about riding, you ask me to join you on your horse."

That was all that he needed, he scooped her up and helped her sit in front of him on the horse, tying her horse to his saddle. Lizzie rewarded him with a long, languid kiss as the horse plodded on, aware that its riders had no intention of going anywhere fast. When the sun started to set, Darcy reluctantly turned back towards the stables.

"Lizzie, I know you have to do an internship in London this semester, would you be able to do it this month?"

"I could ask. Why?"

"Because I want to spend as much time with you as possible before I leave."

"Leave?" Lizzie looked at him curiously; this was the first she'd heard of him leaving.

"Yes. I fly out the end of the month to go to New York for a month. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to, but it is unavoidable."

"Business or politics?" She asked.

"Both." He sighed. "I have to attend several political functions and work with my American lawyers on a few things that have been occurring across the pond with one of my properties."

"A month?" Lizzie looked crestfallen.

"I think I would be quite the distraction for exams, Lizzie. And if you are in London for your two-week internship and your break, we will have three weeks together. Then a week after you return to Kent, I'll fly out." Darcy kissed her cheek softly. "We will find a way, my darling. If you weren't in school, I'd simply take you with me."

"Can I go anyway?" Lizzie grumbled. "I don't need both my degrees."

"Lizzie, you know as well as I do that you need to finish." He stopped the horses in the stable and climbed down, helping her down and not letting her go. "I have to go back to London tomorrow. Call me when you need to be in London and I will personally deliver you to my house."

"Will, I can't stay with you." Lizzie shook her head.

"Why not?"

"How would it look if I was seen coming and going from your house to the theater everyday? How secret would we be then? You have no idea how thankful I am that the press does not know us, because Jane calls me in tears some days because of them. I can stay with my Aunt and Uncle and you can drop me off there."

"But if you stay with your Aunt and Uncle, you won't be with me." Darcy pouted.

"Then you will just have to make me best friends with Georgiana so I can visit every day." Lizzie sighed. "You are taking her to the Event, are you not?"

"No. Georgiana is going with Rick, my cousin." Darcy shook his head. "I'm sorry, dearest, I thought…didn't I ask you?"

"Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard Darcy!" Lizzie scolded. "I think if you had asked me anything about the _royal wedding_ I would remember it."

"Sorry. I was going to find some supermodel, but I'd much rather take you, if you are free." Will smiled. "I think I just assumed you would come with me."

"Will, darling, I need to get a dress and a hat…you're only invited to the wedding, right? I know they are having two receptions?"

"The wedding and the main reception. I was under the impression that the evening reception was more for family and close friends." Darcy said. "I'm neither. While I know both of them, I am not close. But as a member of the Lords and on the board with His Royal Highness on several charities, I warranted an invite to the Event."

"I've got to go shopping in London. I need a dress and a hat and shoes…you need to get me home, now. I have to call my Aunt, this is a fashion crisis!" Lizzie turned to walk away but he pulled her back.

"Since when do you care about all of that?"

"Since I want to look respectable coming into a wedding that'll be seen by billions, in the presence of royalty, with you. I want to look like I belong. Wait…does that mean we are taking this thing public?"

"We can just deny and say you are a friend, if you want. It wouldn't be unreasonable since your sister is going with my best friend." Will shrugged. "It is entirely up to you, darling."

"Then for the day, I will be your friend." Lizzie stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "But now I really do need to get back. I have a thesis to write."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 6

Lizzie came bounding into her Aunt and Uncle's house with excitement. "Aunt Maggie, I need a hat! I'm going to the wedding –"

"With Will Darcy, I know." Margaret Gardiner finished for her niece. "He already called. Welcome Lizzie! We've missed you."

"I missed you too." Lizzie hugged her favorite Aunt. "It's so nice to be in London."

"The kids are going to be so excited to see you and they will all be so jealous of your news. But Will Darcy? It's really nice of you to go with him, Lizzie, I didn't think you liked him."

"I don't. I mean…we're friends now. It was hard to hate each other when his best friend is dating my sister. We hashed everything out, which was good, because we had some serious misunderstandings, and now we're friends. I like having someone I can talk to at Netherfield and dinner parties. He's better society than a lot of the men in Meryton, that's for sure." Lizzie explained.

"But what about that Wickham fellow? Didn't you like him?"

"I used to. Lets just say George Wickham's luster fades upon closer inspection." Lizzie said vaguely. She wasn't going to betray Darcy's confidence, not even to her aunt, but no sense allowing anyone to continue with a false good opinion of a man who certainly didn't deserve it. "So Will called you?"

"Yes. He said you were doing him a favor because he realized he couldn't show up without a date and didn't really have anyone he was dating, but he knew that you would dress and behave appropriately and that you and he would have a good time." Maggie Gardiner's voice contained a hint of disbelief and a hint of a smile. "He also invited us to Pemberley for some of your break. I told him I had family there and that we used to go to the big Lambton egg hunt and one year I was going to get the kids there for Easter. And then he insisted that we come and stay at Pemberley, visit my family for Easter and enjoy Lambton."

"That was nice of him. He didn't say anything to me." Lizzie grinned, she was dying to see Pemberley but with their relationship a secret, finding an excuse was hard. Will had solved that quickly and with so little chance of anyone guessing his real motives, she was impressed. She hoped her aunt had said yes to Will's proposal.

"I thought so too." Maggie replied. "So of course I agreed. My mother will be beside herself to see us all and you are going to love Derbyshire. You do want to come with us, right?"

"Yes. I've heard so much about Pemberley from Caroline Bingley and I'm dying to see if it is as pretty as she is boasting. Plus, she won't be able to stand the fact that my 'low relations' were even permitted on the grounds, much less invited there by the master himself." Lizzie laughed. It was true, she wanted to see it for herself and lording the invite over Caroline's head would be a fun experience, but those were not the real, big reason she wanted to see it. Lizzie was seriously considering spending the rest of her life with Will, so Pemberley could be her home. That was a thought that was at once frightening and exhilarating.

Darcy paced the length of his London home. Ever since their first official date, he had not gone more than 12 hours without hearing from Lizzie or seeing her. It was now 19 hours and 23 minutes since she had told him she would call him back "in a bit" and it had been almost three days since he dropped her off at her Aunt and Uncle's on Gracechurch Street. Now, Will Darcy was beside himself with worry for the woman he loved. Yes. It was true and he now owned it to himself. He loved Elizabeth Bennet. But why hadn't she called?

"Sir?" His housekeeper poked her head into his study, holding the landline. "There is a Miss Bennet on the phone for you. She claims to be a friend."

It took every last shard of self-control for Darcy to not snatch the phone out of her hand. Instead, he nodded calmly and took the phone, instructing that he was not to be disturbed.

"Lizzie?" Has asked hopefully into the phone, trying not to sound desperate.

"Will." He could almost hear her relief. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice."

"Lizzie? What happened?" Darcy was relieved and concerned. There had to be a reason for the lack of contact. "You told me you would call me back 'in a bit' and that was a day ago. And when I tried your mobile, it went straight to voicemail."

"My cousin dropped a bucket of water on my mobile and it took a while to get your phone number from Charles and longer still to get a moment where I can make a phone call in private. And then when your housekeeper answered, I realized Charles must have given me the landline and not your mobile number, which I now know I need to memorize. Were you worried about me, milord?"

Darcy knew then that she was okay. "Yes, I was. Talking to you is the best part of my day. I was about to blow our secret and come see you."

"You worry too much." Lizzie signed. "I'll have to get a new mobile soon, I'm just waiting for my next paycheck. Will…can you introduce me to your sister?"

"Sure." He smiled. "When?"

"Today?"

Darcy was a little surprised at this. "I'll see if she's around this afternoon. Lizzie, why the hurry? I thought we were going to ease into this?"

"I know. But not being able to talk to you or see you was not exactly fun. And think, if we're in London together for two weeks and we can't see each other, it's going to be torture. If I was friends with your sister, however…"

"You'd have a perfectly legitimate excuse to be at our house and around me as much as you like." Darcy nodded. "Come by this afternoon via cab. Georgiana will be here and we will tell her…everything."

"Will, don't rush her. She should come first." Lizzie sighed.

"She can handle it. Besides, it is high time she knew. You can meet her and stay for dinner. One night won't create a scandal. And I need to talk to you about this weekend so I can have the house set up for your family." Will smiled. "Let's say…four o'clock."

"Then I will see you soon." Lizzie said and hung up.

Will smiled, returning the phone to it's charging station and went upstairs to his sister's suite. "Sister!" He called, knocking on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Georgiana called back. She was sitting on her floor, surrounded by at least fifteen different outfits. "Trying to decide what to wear to the Event."

"I'll give you money for something new." Will shrugged.

"You're giving me money for a new coat, hat, shoes and jewelry. Besides, most of these have never been worn." Georgiana smiled. "What brings you up here, Brother?"

"I was wondering if you had plans today." He said.

"Not really. I am meeting Annesly for lunch in about an hour and then I was going to practice a bit and do some homework. Why?"

"Elizabeth is in town and I think it is time the two of you met." Will said softly.

Georgiana squealed. "Elizabeth? _Your_ Elizabeth? Oh my gosh! Do you need me to cancel with Annesly? Or maybe we could go out tonight so you and Elizabeth can have some privacy?"

"No. She won't be here until four and why would we need privacy?" Will tried to sound nonchalant.

Georgiana gave him her best "oh please" look. "Brother, your secret? Not so much a secret. At least to Rick and I. Do…do you think she will like me?"

"Of course she will." Darcy smiled. "My Elizabeth will love you as much as I do."

"Then I will be sure to be back by three. Maybe she can help me pick a dress." Georgiana sighed. "Now, I need to get ready to go meet Annesly."

"And I need to purchase a new mobile." Will kissed the top of her head and, grabbing his coat and a cap, made his way out of the house.

First things first, Lizzie needed a mobile. That was easy enough, since she only needed the phone. But Will wanted to get her something else, but how to do it without making front page news? He picked up a card and chocolate for Georgiana and then spotted the perfect present. It was a bouquet of beautiful white roses. "Lord Darcy buys card and roses for sister" was a much less salacious headline than "Lord Darcy buys red roses for secret lady". As tired as he was of their charade, he wouldn't trade their peace for Jane and Bingley's chaos for the world. Still…there were events he wanted to take her to, things he wanted to do. When he returned from New York, they would have to seriously discuss coming out in public.

Georgiana was like a little girl, watching in the window for Lizzie's cab as if she was waiting for Father Christmas and his sleigh. Finally, the car pulled up. "She's here!" Georgiana shouted, bounding down the stairs.

Will smiled, grabbing the phone and the flowers. "Georgiana, why don't you wait in the music room and I'll bring Lizzie to you?"

"Fine. Have your own private greeting." Georgiana mock-pouted, but then grinned and did as she was told. He walked into the foyer where Wellesley was taking Lizzie's coat.

"Thank you Wellesley, my sister and I will be seeing to Miss Bennet the rest of the evening." Will smiled at the butler, who gave a quick bow and went off to his other duties.

As soon as he was gone, Lizzie leapt into Darcy's arms and he kissed her.

"Elizabeth." He breathed. Lizzie _loved _when he said her name like that, almost like a prayer. "I've missed you."

"I can tell." She grinned up at him, breathless.

"I have two presents for you and don't complain about either of them." Will handed her the roses first.

"Will! They're beautiful!" She smiled.

"Can't you thank a fellow better than that?" He asked.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. "Not until I've seen my other gift."

"Consider this a gift for both of us." He said sheepishly and handed her the phone. "I could get you a better plan you know."

"We aren't married yet, darling." Lizzie grinned and set both presents on the entry table. "Now, about expressing my gratitude…"  
His heart soared at her unintentional words. Of course he had already raided the family vault for a particular piece of jewelry that would need to be cleaned and sized. But then she started kissing him and Darcy's mind lost focus on anything else.

"You do realize you got me the most expensive mobile on the market, right?" Lizzie asked as they stood in the hall, still wrapped tightly in his arms.

"Say you won it in a raffle." He shrugged. "Now, there is someone who is dying to meet you and I think we've kept her waiting long enough."

Will led her into what they called the "music room". It was supposed to be the living room but it was so full of instruments, they never actually used it as a proper living room. Georgiana stood from her piano and bounded over to the door when they came in.

"Georgiana, this is Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzie, this is my baby sister." He smiled. He'd wanted to make this introduction for months.

"You must call me Lizzie." Lizzie smiled, hugging the young woman.

"I'm so glad to meet you, Lizzie. Brother – I mean, Will, has told me so much about you, I feel as though we are already friends."

In a matter of minutes, Lizzie and Georgiana were on the sofa, chatting like they _were_ old friends. After dining on some of their favorite takeaway Indian food, Georgiana claimed she needed to practice, but made Lizzie promise to set up a shopping date with her the next day, and Will offered to show Lizzie his study.

"I never got to thank you for inviting my family to Pemberley. You are going to be there, right?" Lizzie asked as they snuggled on the couch in his study in front of a blazing fire.

"Yes. I have already called ahead and had the rooms prepared. I think your family will like it." Will smiled, kissing the top of her head. "And I think you will like it too."

"Well, anything that made such a good impression on Caroline Bingley just _must _be amazing." She grinned. "But what will the neighbors say? Pemberley hosting my low relations!"

Will looked at her seriously. "Lizzie. I don't care about some supposed class system Caroline has decided your family belongs to. Believe me, I have only been wary of…women with less money because I have seen too many friends get burned by a pretty face."

"Darling, I know. You should hear all the things Lydia and Kitty are planning to have Jane buy them when she marries Chuck." Lizzie sighed. "I get it. But I'm telling you this right now, if you and I ever get married, we aren't buying my sisters a thing unless it is a present for a birthday or Christmas. And if you lost every penny you had right now, I'd be bummed, because then I wouldn't get such wonderful presents like a brand new phone, but that wouldn't change my feelings for you."

"I know, my darling." Will pulled her closer. "That's why I don't feel bad doing this."

"Doing what?" She asked as he sat up and pulled a small card out of his pocket. "Will…what is that?"

"This is an emergency card. It's pre-loaded with about five thousand pounds. It also will automatically take up to ten thousand out of my spending account as overdraft."

"Will – " Lizzie began to protest.

"Not finished. I want you to have it to buy your dress and such for the wedding and also to use in emergencies. Like when your cousin decides to dump water on your mobile, or if you need to see me, and you need to catch a cab or…if you need to fly to New York. You may not use it to put petrol in Jane's car or buy yourself takeaway."

Lizzie smiled. "Will…New York? I have exams. I can't go."

"Like I said, emergencies. And I have to extend my trip a few days so you could come see me for a week, visit the city, enjoy a little of America once your exams are done." He said. "It'll make me feel better if you had this, Lizzie."

"Fine." She took the card. "I'm only taking this because you made me. Now, I have to ask, does needing to bring you lunch tomorrow count as an emergency?"

"Of course it does." He laughed. "Anytime you need to see me, you use whatever you need. Because I will always be there for you. Now…about New York…"

"No promises, Will. I don't know my exam schedule yet. But you can probably count on not missing me for at least…five days." Lizzie grinned and kissed him. "Thank you. For everything you keep doing for me and for my family."

Will shrugged and kissed her again. "Eh. I like them but it's really all for you."

No amount of Googling or talking to Will had truly prepared Lizzie for Pemberley. It was _huge_ and beautiful and when the Gardiners pulled up with Lizzie in tow, actual footmen were waiting to take their bags.

"How can we thank you for this honor, my Lord?" Margaret Gardiner asked as he welcomed them into his home.

"Please, the honor is mine. Lizzie is a friend and when you told me about growing up in Lambton I knew I had found a way to repay your family for the hospitality they showed me in Hertfordshire. Pemberley is perfect for guests and I fear I do not take enough advantage of it. And please, call me 'Will' or 'Darcy'." Will smiled. "Mr. Gardiner, you are all well I hope?"

"We are indeed." Sir Edward Gardiner nodded. Edward had been knighted for his military service and was very prosperous but Pemberley made him feel as though he had barely scratched the surface of wealth.

"And Lizzie? You are well? And your family?" Will asked, desperately trying to sound casual.

"I'm wonderful." Lizzie grinned. "So is the family. Chuck says 'hi'. And how are you, Darcy?"

"I'm home. It's always nice to be home." Will replied. "Lizzie, you can't call Charles 'Chuck', he's Charles."

"So you and Jane keep saying. And yet, he's still Chuck. I'll make you a deal, you get him to stop calling me Lizard, and I'll stop calling him Chuck." Lizzie grinned. "Let me introduce you to my cousins."

Darcy smiled and greeted them all. He was working very hard to keep every trace of emotion under control. He had a plan for the long weekend the Gardiners were spending at his house. Darcy had determined that he needed to tell Lizzie how he felt before leaving for New York and what better place to do it than in his beautiful home he hoped to share with her one day?

"I hope you all don't mind, I put you in the family wing of the house. I so rarely entertain, the guest wing is actually open to the public in the spring." Will explained.

"Are you sure we aren't imposing? We could stay at a hotel." Margaret Gardiner said politely.

"No. I insist you allow me to be your host. Please, let me show you to your rooms. I've ordered dinner for seven but please feel free to explore, to rest, and if you need anything, just ring for one of the staff." Darcy smiled and led them up a grand staircase.

Lizzie was floored. The estate – for this was no mere house – was beautiful. It seemed to embrace both the past and the present, the perfect balance of elegance with the opulence a house this size demanded. She had grown up with a cleaning lady and a gardener who came once a week. And that was more than what most people had. But Pemberley had _staff_. I mean, sure, it was part museum, but now she was really beginning to understand how different her upbringing was from his.

First they dropped off her cousins in several rooms that seemed perfectly suited for the five and their various ages.

"You seem to have the perfect number of rooms for my family." Lizzie eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, when my family is here, my cousin Andrew has two girls a little younger than your cousins. The first room, where we put the twins, used to be where Andrew and Richard slept. The toys and such in there are for Andrew's little boy, and he stays there when they visit. The other room is where Annie or Andrew and his wife will stay and I am putting your Aunt and Uncle in the dowager suite, where my Aunt and Uncle stay when they visit. The only other rooms I have belong to Georgiana and Richard and myself. Other than the room you're staying in, of course." Will explained. "The guest quarters are set up a little differently, but it actually works out better for your cousins that you are staying in the family wing. Ah, here we are. I had all the luggage brought to the dowager suite, and the footmen will take it wherever you need it to go."

The dowager suite was massive. It had a large sitting area, bedroom and bathroom. Two footmen waited in the sitting room with a pile of luggage.

"I'll go ahead a take mine." Lizzie grabbed her bag. "I think I'd like to rest and clean up. I'll see you at dinner."

"Where is Lizzie's room?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.

"There's a door across the hall to the left and a little ways down. That is her room." Will replied. "I'll show you the way and then I need to get down to my study, I have to discuss some business with my assistant."

"We will see you both at dinner, then." Mr. Gardiner nodded, surveying the luggage. "Who brought this much stuff for a long weekend?"

Lizzie laughed as she heard her Aunt and Uncle trying to sort out the luggage.

"Here you are, Lizzie." Darcy opened the double doors. The suite was the size of the one the Gardiners were in, if not a little larger.

"Good lord, Will. This is huge." Lizzie looked around, appreciating everything. The room was obviously a woman's room; everything was delicate and beautiful. "Come in?"

"I'll come get you for dinner." Will said, nodding towards the Gardiners' still open door. "I'll let you rest."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 7

Lizzie looked crestfallen as he closed the door. She figured he'd corner her the minute they were alone. He must really have business to attend to. She explored the bedroom with its beautiful canopied bed with light, gauzy white curtains. Considering she had always shared a bathroom, the on-suite one in here was like a dream, so was the walk-in (live in!) closet. Then she heard a creak, like a door opening, but it wasn't a door. It looked like part of the wall was swinging open, and there, in the hidden door, stood Darcy. He was at her side in a moment, holding her and kissing her hair. "My darling Lizzie."

"I thought you really were going to leave me without so much as a kiss. Which, by the way, I still have not received." Elizabeth pouted.

Will grinned her and kissed her with all the passion he could muster without losing control. It left her breathless.

It took a moment for Lizzie to regain her senses and realize where, exactly, he had put her. "Is this…the mistress's room?"

"I almost gave you Georgiana's room." Darcy conceded. "But then I remember that the Master and Mistress suites were connected by that convenient little door. It hasn't been used since my mother died, but it is a wonderful thing, if you ask me."

"If my Uncle figures it out, he will kill you." She grinned. "I just can't believe the door wasn't sealed up or anything. Did your parents actually sleep in separate rooms?"

"As far as I know, the last couple to actually sleep in separate rooms on a regular basis was my great-great-great grandfather and his second wife. The Darcy's actually have a romantic tradition of marrying for love. My grandmother and my mother both used this room so they did not have to share a closet or a bathroom." He explained. "Apparently, sharing those is a hardship for a woman."

"Spoken like a man who has never had to share a bathroom in his life." Lizzie rolled her eyes and then thought of something. "Does…does that lock?"

"No, which is why I almost put you in Georgiana's room. But then I thought I could prove to you that I am willing to go at your pace and not rush you by putting you in a room with such easy and private access." Darcy smiled shyly. "Would…I'll let you explore, unpack, whatever you need, and you can come visit me when you want me."

Elizabeth pouted. She wanted him to stay but she did need to unpack and freshen up a bit.

Will kissed her gently. "Call or come get me if you need me, darling."

Lizzie sighed and got to work unpacking. She texted Jane pictures, leaving out the location and implications of the room. The weight of his choice finally hit her. When – if they got married, this would be hers. Certainly not for sleeping, but it would be where she'd get ready every day, where, if they had daughters, they would play with her clothes and makeup. It was an alarming flight of fancy for any 21-year-old, but to Lizzie it seemed natural. Shaking herself from thoughts that brought up too many questions, she started poking around. Darcy's mother must have been a great reader, as had many Darcy women before her. The room had two large bookshelves filled with books and elegant floral artwork. Perhaps his mother had been a gardener?

Will paced. He sat in his chair. Then he paced again. He _would _control himself. But every time he let his mind wander to his Elizabeth being in the mistress's chambers…then he heard the wall creak open and Lizzie walked in.

Will's rooms were both expected and unexpected to Lizzie. The study area had overloaded bookshelves, comfortable chairs, and very simple, stark furniture, much like all his rooms in his townhouse. The bed was massive and old, with nice but simple bed coverings. It was comfortable, simple, and neat as a pin, and all very high quality – exactly his personality.

"It suits you, milord." Lizzie grinned, sitting down on the large, comfortable sofa and patting the seat next to her. "Join me?"

"Gladly." He grinned and plopped, rather inelegantly, down next to her. "So, what do you think so far? It is a bit bigger than the house in London."

"Oh, just a bit." She teased. "Everything I've seen, I've loved. But isn't it expensive to maintain?"

"My grandfather figured out a system that has worked really well to keep Pemberley maintained and not take our entire fortune or have us overcharge for admittance. He figured out how much it would cost per year to keep the grounds and public areas maintained, then divide that by the number of visitors the house has in a year. That sets the admission price for the next year. We actually make most of the money for maintaining and staffing the house with private events. You know, weddings, television, photo shoots and such. I had smart ancestors, that's why I'm so –"

"Loaded." Lizzie finished for him, smiling. "Jane sends her compliments. She said whoever made that closet was a wise individual."

"Good to know if I ever decide to redo this house. I will show your whole family the public areas tonight and we'll do a tour of the private areas tomorrow."

"Will you run with me in the morning? I'm only doing eight kilometers or so." Lizzie asked.

"I will if you go riding with me after services on Sunday. On your own horse. At least for a while."

Lizzie kissed his cheek. "Deal."

Lizzie was beyond pleased with the evening. Will was an absolute gentleman and spectacular host. He gave them the most interesting tour of the public areas of the house, and along with the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, answered even the silliest of questions. The couple behaved themselves so that the Gardiners wouldn't suspect, and the Gardiners themselves proved to Darcy that not all of her relatives were crazy. And once everyone had gone to bed, Lizzie sat up in his room for an hour, just talking. It was so comfortable, Lizzie was pretty sure she would be happy to spend the rest of her life like this and wondered if he was thinking the same thing. Will, of course, could see them doing this forever. Sitting by the fire and talking, discussing their day or the children. Of course, in the future, they would be going to sleep in the _same _bed.

The next morning, Will found himself dressed incognito and walking along through the museum tour of his home. He sighed as the tour guide went over the history and importance of the foyer. Will could not understand how she could pout and make him do the stupidest things. Elizabeth squeezed his hand gently, smiling.

"Is the owner in residence?" One tourist answered.

"The Earl is frequently in residence. He does not spend much of the colder months here, however, so it is not likely." The guide answered.

"Good answer." Will nodded.

The foyer tour moved to the gallery.

"This is the current Earl of Devon, from when he was 16." The guide pointed at a painting.

"He's gorgeous." One lady gushed.

"All this money and he's hot." Another lady whistled. "Does he still look like that?"

Lizzie giggled at Will's obvious discomfort. "I think you are much prettier now."

He grinned, he couldn't help it. Lizzie was teaching him to be silly, to recognize the absurdities in life and laugh at them.

"This might have been a bad idea, any more praise and I'll be hard to live with." Will said and was rewarded with the most dazzling smile. "You are enjoying this too much."

Lizzie stood on her toes to whisper in his ear. "I promise to let you return the favor and take you on a tour of my house."

"Is he single?" Someone in the tour asked.

Lizzie stifled a giggle by buying her face in his shoulder.

"He most definitely is not." Will rumbled.

"There's nothing in the rags about it." Another tourist added.

"As far as I know, he is single." The guide shrugged. "Moving on into the library. This is the pride of Pemberley."

"I thought the art collection was the pride of Pemberley." Lizzie whispered.

"There's plenty of art, but the library…I haven't added to the art collection, but I have added to the library. This is what I am most proud of here." He replied. "Come on, mustn't lose the tour."

"Will, I found a book I want to borrow. Couldn't I just grab it now?"

"Absolutely not." He looked at her, shocked, only to see her eyes dancing with amusement. "Are you always this much trouble?"

"That's why you like me." Lizzie grinned up at him.

Now was the perfect moment. He could tell her he loved her in their favorite room in the whole house. It would be sweet. Spontaneous, romantic –

"Sir? Madam? If you would please pay attention, we're moving on." The guide said shattering the moment.

"See, now you've gone and gotten me in trouble." Lizzie swatted at him playfully. "Can we ditch the tour now?"

"Oh no. This was your idea. We are sticking it out. Besides, I enjoy walking through my house and holding your hand. I couldn't do that yesterday and I won't be able to do it very often."

"No, this afternoon we will be free. The while family is visiting a relative of my Aunt's in Lambton and won't be back until after dinner. I told my Aunt I had a paper to write and that is what I'll do while they visit." Lizzie beamed. "I felt a little bad lying but I think it was for a good cause."

"A very good cause." Will smiled.

"And this is the ballroom – oh, good morning Mrs. Reynolds." The guide said as the housekeeper walked in.

Lizzie felt Darcy's hand tighten in hers and a small oath escaped his lips.

"This is Mrs. Reynolds, Pemberley's housekeeper." The guide introduced the older woman.

"Good morning – my goodness!" Mrs. Reynolds exclaimed when she caught sight of Lizzie and Darcy, both of whom were vehemently shaking their heads. Elizabeth had her finger to her lips.

"Do forgive me. I just remembered something I have to do today. I hope you are all enjoying your tour. Do not let me keep you, Conda." Mrs. Reynolds nodded and started to leave the room.

"Yes, ok, Mrs. Reynolds…may we ask you a few questions?" Conda, the tour guide, asked.

"Of course." Mrs. Reynolds nodded.

"Is this room used much?"

"Not lately. When the Earl marries I daresay we will use it more." Reynolds nodded.

Darcy couldn't move. He couldn't decide if it was mortifying or frightening or what.

"Will that be soon?"

"I believe quite soon. He is old enough to start settling down I think. Do excuse me, enjoy your day." Mrs. Reynolds nodded and walked out.

"Are we discovered?" Lizzie whispered.

"If it was _anyone _else on my staff, we would be. As soon as this is over, I – no – we have to talk to her." He sighed and kissed her hand.

Lizzie and Darcy spent a very pleasant afternoon at Pemberley. Mrs. Reynolds assured them of her discretion and they spent the evening in a way Lizzie could only call "domestic". They had dinner and then sat in front of the fire in the library, reading. Lizzie stretched out on the couch, her feet in his lap, him sitting with his feet popped up on the ottoman, his hands rubbing her legs absently.

"If I were younger, the two of you would be nauseatingly adorable." A voice said from the doorway, causing them both to jump.

"Aunt Maggie!" Lizzie exclaimed, scrambling to her feet while Darcy jumped up and said "Lady Margaret!"

"Oh settle down, for heaven's sake, I've known about you two since we got here and I've suspected a lot longer." Margaret Gardiner grinned. "For the record, your secret is safe with us. But why is it secret?"

"The press." Lizzie sighed, plopping down on the couch. "No one, aside from Jane and Charles, knows. Not even Mama and Papa."

"I could understand why you didn't tell your mother, Lizzie. Much as I love Aggie, she couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. But I would have thought you would have told Eddie."

"I just…I wasn't ready. I still don't know that I am. And I don't want to have to make him lie to Mama."

"It's been nice." Will added. "I mean, I feel like I'm a normal person, going on dates and the only parties concerned are Lizzie and I. We'll go public eventually, but as long I can keep this a secret, I will. For both our sakes. If you don't mind me asking, how did you know?"

"Young man, if putting Lizzie in the old Mistress's chambers wasn't enough, it's written on both your faces, plain as day." Margaret laughed. "But I only noticed because I know my niece and I know the look of love. Enjoy your evening, I'll come get you for church in the morning." And with that, Lady Margaret left.

"Was that code for 'I'm watching you'?" Will asked, a little dumbstruck.

"Yep. But at lease we can relax this weekend." Lizzie sighed.

"We can." Will nodded and stood, beginning to pace. "Elizabeth, I think we should tell your family."

"And you should sell Pemberley." She teased.

"Lizzie, I'm being serious." He sighed. "I thought your father knew."

"I can't tell my father and not my mother." Lizzie walked over to him. "What's this about?"

"I just…I feel like we are skulking around and I feel like us being a secret means I have to agree to things that I wouldn't if we were public. Not…not in the press kind of public but open with our families."

"Weren't you just telling my aunt that you want to keep us a secret?" Lizzie demanded, somewhat confused.

"Yes, but…"

"But what?" She crossed her arms. "Right now I'm really confused."

"I'm not…I'm only saying we should tell your father."

"But not my mother. Do you even realize what you are asking? You're asking me to force my father to keep a secret from his wife. And you're okay with that?"

"Should I not be? Do you honestly trust your mother with the truth?" He demanded. Why was she being so difficult and how had his plan to tell her how he felt gone so completely sideways?

"Will, that's _my mother_ you are talking about. I can't believe you'd ask my father to betray the trust of his wife."

"It's not a big deal."

"That's where you are very wrong." Lizzie made sure her voice was cold and even. She wanted to cry but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. "Good night. And don't you dare try to come through that wall."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Will snapped.

Lizzie stalked off and once he heard her door slam, he headed to his own room and slammed the door. How could one person make him so happy one moment and so very angry the next?

Elizabeth threw herself onto the bed, sobbing. Stupid, infuriating man! No one could make her happy or soothe a hurt faster than he could, but it didn't take long for him to hurt her either.

Will heard the sob through the door and he felt like his heart was ripping in two. Worst of all, he had caused that. He had made her cry. And it had been all his fault this time. But she'd locked the door and he wasn't going to broadcast their troubles to her family and possibly servants in the hallway. He could technically go through the wall but he couldn't violate her like that. The balcony!

Lizzie stared out the window, she felt the weather was in honor of her feelings – a storm with lightening, thunder and a never-ending downpour of rain. She didn't hear the ladder crashing against the balcony, she didn't hear anything until Will rapped on the glass. Lizzie looked at him in disbelief, debating for a moment on whether or not to let him in. But he was soaking wet and looked miserable.

"Can we please talk?" He asked when she opened the door.

"I don't know, can we?"

"Elizabeth…I was trying, all day, but when I'm around you, it's like my brain stops working and my mouth runs away with me…"

"Darcy, you're babbling." Lizzie folded her arms over her chest. If she wasn't so angry, he would be adorable right now, soaking wet and unable to form a coherent thought.

"I love you." Will blurted out, then blushed. "I'm sorry, that should be said in a more romantic –"

Lizzie kissed him, cutting him off.

"You are such an idiot, Will Darcy." She smiled. "You should know by now, I don't need overdone romantic moments."

"But you deserve it. I'm so sorry, my darling Elizabeth. I just got so focused on us I completely disregarded everyone else. And then I can't think straight when you are around, but I wanted you to know that I love you. I love you, only you, and always you. I have for a while, I waited to say it because I don't want to rush you but I can't hold it in anymore."

Lizzie pulled him close and kissed him again, letting him know that, though she couldn't say it yet, she loved him too.

"Go put something dry on then come back here and stay with me for a while." She ordered.

Will nodded and did as he was told. When he got back to her room, she was lying in the bed.

"Lizzie, this is not a good idea." He warned.

"Nonsense. We're both exhausted and emotionally drained and I need you to just hold me for a while." Lizzie said.

"I'm never going to say 'no' to you, am I?" Will asked, sliding in beside her and pulling her close.

"I wouldn't bet on it." She yawned and snuggled closer.

Lizzie couldn't remember ever sleeping so well. She was warm and toasty and pulled up snug against Will's chest. She so badly didn't want to wake up, but Aunt Maggie could burst in any minute, and regardless of how innocent, Lizzie didn't want to deal with that kind of trouble.

"Will, wake up." She whispered.

"Five more minutes, my love." Will replied sleepily. "I'm comfortable."

"So am I." Lizzie sighed and he kissed the top of her head. "But Aunt Maggie wasn't kidding."

"I could get used to this, you know. Waking up next to you." He smiled. "But you're right, it's time for me to go."

Will kissed her gently and slid out of bed, padding over to the secret door and into his own room. Lizzie suddenly felt cold and lonely. She found herself wishing they were married so she could fall asleep with him every night, to hear him whisper "five more minutes, love", while still half asleep in the morning. Love. He loved her.

A knock on the door brought Lizzie out of her daydreams. "Come in!"

Margaret Gardiner walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Good morning dear."

"Aunt Maggie, am I too young to get married?" Lizzie asked.

"No." The older woman replied. "But surely all that shouting I heard last night wasn't a proposal."

"We had a little fight. But we made up." Lizzie shook her head. "Will told me he loved me and it got me thinking…I'm…just being here, seeing him every day, it's so comfortable. It feels so right. But am I too young?"

"My dear, marriage to Darcy is more than any other marriage. I am a Lady by marriage, and with your uncle not being a hereditary peer, my life is easier. The wife of a hereditary Peer, especially an Earl, comes with many perks – fortune, fashion, and homes among them. But it is a job. Social functions, charities, committees, these are all thing you would be responsible for. If you can look at the downside, at the responsibilities that come with the man, and still decide to marry him, then you are not too young." Margaret sighed. "Be sure you are willing to take the warts. If you are, then you are marrying for the right reason: love."

"I could definitely get used to these beds. I've never slept so good." Lizzie yawned and hoped her aunt didn't notice the blush. "Aunt Maggie…what if we fight all the time?"

"If you love each other, you won't fight all the time. But fights are normal, natural things. Its how you behave after the fight that matters."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 8

Two weeks later…

"I'm never going to find shoes." Lizzie sighed as they left yet another shoe store with nothing.

"Well, you still can't tell me what you want." Georgiana pointed out. "I mean, there are lots of shoes out there that would look good with your dress and hat."

"I can't explain them, Georgiana, but I'll know them when I see…" Lizzie trailed off as they passed a high-end shop. In the window was the most perfect pair of nude pumps: not shiny, with an interesting wood heel, not too pointy and not square. "Them."

"Ohh. Those are nice. And you're right, they look better when they aren't shiny." Georgiana giggled. "Come on, let's go try them on!"

"Georgiana, they're probably, like, two hundred pounds." Lizzie sighed. "I can't afford that."

"Um, you aren't paying. My brother is and he has more than enough money to pay for the right shoes. Remember, this will be seen by billions of people."

"And if I end up looking cheap or poorly dressed, I'll be criticized the world-over. I know." Lizzie shook her head and they walked into the shop.

Finally, though it pained her to spend so much on a pair of shoes, Lizzie felt like she was ready.

"Now all we need is to make it to the nail salon on time and we will be good to go." Georgiana grinned. "I think you are going to enjoy yourself, you'll get along famously with Rick."

"I think your brother is worried about how well I'll get on with Richard." Lizzie smiled. "Apparently, Richard takes as much pleasure in teasing your brother as I do."

"Poor Will." Georgiana shook her head, laughing.

Lizzie checked her reflection in the mirror. Her green dress was simple, elegant, and tasteful –not avant-garde but extremely appropriate. It fit her perfectly and set off her deep brown eyes. Her fascinator was cream-colored, trimmed in the same green as her dress and matched her cream-colored jacket with it's subtle damask pattern exactly.

"You are perfect, except for one thing." Will said, standing in the door of the guest room, a large velvet box in his hands. "Those vultures will spot costume jewelry a mile away."

Lizzie looked down at her simple gold necklace and frowned. "But I love this set. You _gave_ me this set."

"And it is lovely. I just thought you might want something new. Georgiana always says 'new clothes need new shoes and jewelry too'." Will walked over and opened the box. Inside was a beautiful set: a teardrop pearl and diamond necklace with matching teardrop-pearl earrings and a tennis bracelet.

"These are beautiful! But…Will, it's too much. You can't give me God knows how much in real diamonds! How am I ever going to explain…" Lizzie trailed off; these were just too beautiful to worry about. "Help me put them on, please?"

"That was a lot easier than I was expecting." Will grinned, helping her take off the other necklace while she changed out her earrings. "I half expected you to argue with me over this."

"Well, I was always worried about how to explain to my mother and father how I can barely afford books but I'm walking around with a diamond necklace on. But since we're sort of going public when you get back from New York, it's not…I guess it's not a big deal anymore."

Will clasped the new necklace and kissed her neck softly. "Does that mean you will accept gifts now? Without protest?" He asked, turning his attention back to her neck and jaw.

Lizzie gasped, her brain refusing to work with what he was doing to her jaw line. "Maybe." She breathed.

"You know you're opening up a can of worms, now." Will grinned devilishly.

Lizzie turned to face him, forcing herself to look serious. "I charge you sir, _control yourself_."

Will just smiled. Lizzie rolled her eyes. She had created a monster. "Are we ready? This isn't one of those things we can show up fashionably late to."

"Yes. Georgiana and Richard should already be downstairs." He offered her his arm. "Now, you are sure we don't want to go public today?"

"No. We shouldn't do anything to take even a millisecond of attention off the wedding." Lizzie sighed, taking his arm and grabbing her bag. "Remember the rules? No touching, hand holding, kissing or overly intimate whispering. Just keep the 'just friends' mantra going in your head."

"I know. The rules were my stupid idea." Will nodded.

"Look on the bright side, when you leave for New York, we'll stop hiding it and we can do all of those things in public." She smiled.

"Lets wait until I get back. I don't want you to have to go it alone." Darcy sighed, kissing her hand.

They made their way into the main hall where Georgiana waited with Richard. Both look smashing, Richard in his dress uniform and Georgiana in a beautiful blue dress and coat, the navy accents working well with Richard's uniform.

"Lizzie, this is my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. Rick, this is Elizabeth Bennet." Will smiled, introducing the two.

"So this is _the _Elizabeth?" Richard took her hand and kissed it. "I'm afraid my cousin does not do you justice, my dear. You are astonishingly beautiful."

"And you are every bit as full of it as he says you are." Lizzie said, smiling. "It's nice to finally meet you, Richard."

Rick broke into a huge grin and hugged her. "Oh thank the Lord for you, my dear. We're going to have so much fun together."

"I agree." Lizzie grinned back at him.

"I'm so going to regret this." Will groaned.

"Don't worry, Darling." Lizzie kissed him gently. "I promise we will only tease you when you deserve it."

"Or when you walk into it." Richard added.

"Or when we feel like it." Lizzie said, laughing.

"Brother, you really, really, really are going to regret this." Georgiana smiled, joining in.

"Well, we best be off. Mustn't be late for _The Event_." Richard grinned. "Which reminds me. Little cousin, my mother sends a present for you. It's just a loaner, but she thought this might set off your outfit nicely."

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a huge diamond cocktail ring.

"Oh! I love it!" Georgiana squealed, slipping the ring on. "Thanks Cuz."

"See, that's the way you're supposed to react to presents." Will pointed out.

"No, that's the way you react to presents when you are used to wearing a piece of jewelry that cost as much as someone's yearly salary. It's going to take me a while to get used to the idea that what you're giving me isn't an unnecessary and huge sacrifice for you financially the way it would be for my family." Lizzie explained. "But wait here a moment and I will give you a proper thank-you."

As soon as Rick and Georgiana were out the door, Lizzie pulled him down for a long, deep, languid kiss. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, my love." Will smiled, kissing her one more time. "Just friends. Just friends. Just friends."

Lizzie laughed. "That's right, just keep telling yourself that."

They got into the limo and Richard burst out laughing. "That's a nice shade you're wearing, Darce."

"Sorry." Lizzie blushed, reaching up and wiping the lipstick from around his lip. "Blot and lick your lips and it'll go away."

"Blot?" Will asked, confused.

"Go like this." Georgiana demonstrated, smacking her lips together. "And be sure to check your teeth."

"Ug. What kind of kiss were you getting, anyway?" Richard asked.

"Let me see," Lizzie said, ignoring Richard as Darcy showed her his teeth. "Perfect. And Richard? You wish you were getting the kinds of kisses he was."

Richard burst out laughing. "Darcy, marry her. Today, if you can!"

The day after the wedding, Lizzie went back to Kent for school and Darcy, Georgiana and Richard went with her. Catherine De Bourge had decided to throw a going away dinner party for Darcy and insisted he bring "that girl from the wedding". They hadn't made the papers yet, but it was only a matter of time, even if they had behaved as 'just friends'.

"I'm sorry she sprung this on you." Lizzie sighed. "I thought we'd be able to have the whole night to ourselves. I was supposed to work a shift but Charlotte agreed to cover for me."

"A shift?" Will asked.

"Yeah, I pick them up working in the student union offices when I can. It's how I bought myself things before you came into my life and insisted on paying for everything." Lizzie laughed. "I only have another hour before Charlotte gets here."

"So, could you hang out?" Darcy asked. "If I were to come over to the offices to visit a friend?"

"I…well, I don't see why not. Plenty of people have visitors while they work and it's not like we're really busy. Just remember, we are just friends." Lizzie warned.

"I'll be there in five minutes." He said. "Love you."

"Bye." Lizzie shook her head and hung up the phone, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Liz?" A knock came at the office door.

"Hey Lynn." Lizzie said, acknowledging the girl. "You closed down for the night?"

"Yeah. Joe is finishing the last of the prep for tomorrow. Want anything before we lock up?" Lynn asked.

"No, thanks." Lizzie shook her head. "I'm actually going to dinner with a friend."

"Is it the same friend that you just got off the phone with?" Lynn wiggled her eyebrows. "Because he sounded like more than a friend."

"He is one of my best friends." Lizzie nodded. "And that's all I'm going to say."

"I think Joe and I are going to have to take our time cleaning so we can meet Mr. We're Just Friends."

Lizzie tossed one of the promotional stress balls that were all over her office at her friend. "Go on, get out of here. Trouble maker!"

Lynn just shrugged and skipped off. "Somebody's in love, somebody's in love!"

"Anyone I know?" Marshall, the assistant manager asked.

"No, she's being trouble, that's all." Lizzie laughed. "I thought you'd left already, Marshall."

"I figured I'd stay until they are done." Marshall shrugged, sitting in one of the large, comfy chairs in the office. "Keep you company."

"That's nice of you Marshall. I actually have a friend stopping by. He's leaving for New York tomorrow for a month and we're going out to dinner so he said he'd stop by to pick me up." Lizzie smiled.

"We don't usually approve of visitors in here." Marshall warned.

"I know. But he's one of my best friends and he's going to be gone for a month and I have to share him tonight at dinner." She said. "Surely we can bend the rules a little. We're not busy and I'm done with all my duties."

"Well…" Marshall sighed, "I really – "

"Lizzie? Is this yours?" Lynn asked, bringing Darcy to the door of the office.

"Will!" Lizzie smiled. "Yes, thanks Lynn. Marshall, this is the friend I was telling you about. Will Darcy, meet my boss, Marshall Scott."

"Pleasure." Will held out his hand.

"The pleasure is mine, my Lord." Marshall shook his hand and both men looked like they were trying to out-strong-handshake each other.

"Please, call me Will." Darcy said, trying not to sound as tense as he felt.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Have a seat, Will. I was just telling Marshall about your trip to New York."

"So, you two dating?" Marshall asked.

"No!" Lizzie exclaimed the same time Will said "Yes."

"Will!" Lizzie glared at him. "Cut it out."

"I'm sorry, dating? No. We're married." Will grinned. He was trying valiantly to tell Marshall to back off without blowing their secret and attempting to keep his temper in check.

"You have lost your mind." Lizzie shook her head. "No, Marshall, we are not married. Or whatever. He's just being stupid."

"How long are you here for, Will? We don't usually let friends just hang around all night." Marshall's question was friendly enough but the edge in his tone was not.

"Charlotte will be here in about half an hour, and then we'll be going." Lizzie said. "I thought you had a study session tonight."

"I am soon." Marshall shrugged. "So, Will, is it? Why aren't you dating her?"

Lizzie felt like burying herself in her (technically, Will's) sweatshirt. Marshall was being intolerable.

"I value what Lizzie and I have. I wouldn't want to jeopardize that." Will answered, and she could hear the edge in his voice, though his face remained pleasant.

"So sorry to keep you waiting, Lizzie." Charlotte said, busting in the door.

"Charlotte! Bless you! Come on, Will." Lizzie didn't even look at Marshall as she dragged Darcy out. "I'm so sorry, I've never seen Marshall like that before. I have to send a thank you text to Charlotte."

"Lizzie, it's okay." Will opened the door of his car for her and then climbed into the driver's seat. "You, my love, are beautiful, smart, funny and kind. It is no wonder men find you attractive. Marshall was just attempting, rather badly, I might add, to mark his territory. And it is no wonder he was so riled up. You are clearly wearing a man's sweatshirt. Mine, by the way, and one of my favorites."

"Not anymore. I'm not giving it back." Lizzie grinned. "So, where to now? When is dinner?"

"7:30. We're going to Rosings now. I don't want to share you but at this point, I have to." Will sighed. "Do you want to be girlfriend or just friend?"

"This is the Aunt who is hell-bent on you marrying her daughter, right?"

"The very same."

"Friend, please. I don't want to spend the evening fighting." Lizzie shook her head. "Will, I am not dressed for a dinner party. We need to get back to the dorm."

"Nope. Annie has been dying to meet you and Georgiana wants to spend some time with you so I told them they could help you get ready for dinner." Will explained, then grabbed her hand. "That is the only time I will be relinquishing you all night, by the way."

"I think I can live with that." She smiled at him.

The trip to Rosings was a short one, and Will parked but didn't get out. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her, a long, slow, passionate kiss. "Sorry, taking advantage of our last few minutes of privacy."

"Fitzwilliam Darcy, don't you _ever_ apologize for kissing me." Lizzie scolded. "Now, I need an apology kiss for apologizing."

Before he could kiss her, there was a knock at the window. "I know you're having fun, but you have about three minutes to get inside before Aunt Catherine gets back." Richard's warned.

"We better move." Will hopped out of the car and let her out. "Thanks Rick."

"Well, as much as I'd love to see her face if she pulled up and you two were making out in the driveway but…I'd like to make it through dinner without a major fit of hysterics or meltdowns of any kind." Richard shrugged. "Lizzie, how are you, dear? You are looking as lovely as ever."

"Fine, thank you, Rick. And you?" Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"Peachy. You know, I really should be the one to escort you to dinner, in the interest of hiding your little secret, of course." Richard suggested.

"Normally, I'd agree with you. But I told Will I wouldn't leave his side." Lizzie shrugged. "Maybe next time."

"And Richard? If you blow this, I will kill you." Will warned.

They made it up the stairs and to the door of Georgiana's room.

"Richard, go away. You and Darcy can have an hour together. Keep him sober, please." Lizzie looked warningly at him.

Richard grabbed her hand and kissed it. "For you, my Lady, anything."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and, taking back her hand, she stood on her toes and kissed Will gently. "Be back here in one hour. And don't you dare be late."

"I promise." He nodded and Lizzie disappeared inside the room.

"Lizzie!" Georgiana exclaimed, hugging her. "I'm so glad you're here. This is Annie, Annie, this is Will's girlfriend, Lizzie."

"It's really nice to meet you, Annie." Lizzie smiled. "I've heard so much about you."

"You too. Georgie says you are the best thing that's ever happened to Will. I just hope you know what you are getting yourself into." Annie smiled.

"It doesn't matter now, it's done." Lizzie blushed.

"What do you mean?" Georgiana looked confused.

"I mean, I love him. Warts and all." Lizzie grinned. "I can't get out of it now, even if I wanted to. And I don't. So…Will said you guys could help me get ready?"

"Yeah…don't hate me, but Will gave me money to get you an outfit, and I know how much you love vintage so I…I went a _little_ crazy." Georgiana smiled sheepishly. "Annie, show her."

Annie rolled out a dress rack full of clothes out of the closet.

"This is a little crazy?" Lizzie asked, incredulously.

"Well, my flat mate's mum is a fashion designer so she has all these connections…and Will didn't really give me a budget so…sorry." Georgiana shrugged. "So…what would you like to wear?"

"Let's be sensible, Georgie. The point is to make her look like a respectable non-threat." Annie pointed out. "Thank you for not sharing your secret with my mother. It makes me life easier."

"Not a problem. I'm just glad that some of his family knows. It gives me hope that I might be generally accepted." Lizzie sighed, looking through the racks of clothes she could never afford. "This is too much."

"For the women who finally won Darcy's heart, nothing is too much." Annie said. "And I think you will be generally loved, not just accepted. Oh, this is the one!"

Annie pulled out a beautiful bright blue cotton dress. It was modern but appropriate.

"That is very, very nice." Lizzie grinned. "The color is amazing. And then…this jacket."

She pulled out a classic black and white vintage Chanel jacket.

"You sure you haven't met my Aunt?" Georgiana laughed.

"Why?" Lizzie asked, confused.

"My mother only respects designer and she loves a strong point of view. This is a strong point of view, but also elegant and proper. I like you more and more." Annie grinned.

"Keep flattering me like that and we'll be best friends by dinner." Lizzie laughed. "So, Annie, are you seeing anyone?"

"Yes, but my mother has no idea." Annie grinned. "His name is Fred, he is my mother's financial advisor. He's very sweet. We don't get much time together, face-to-face."

"Have you told my brother how you feel yet?" Georgiana asked as they went to work on Lizzie's hair.

"No. I will tell him before he leaves. I just…I only just could admit it to myself." Lizzie said.

"Don't rush yourself. Will is a lot older than you, it is perfectly normal for you to want to go slower." Annie shook her head.

"That's just it. I know I _should_ be freaking out and wanted to slow things down. I just…I don't feel like we are going too fast." Lizzie explained.

"Well, sometimes it's like that. Freddie and I were friends for years before our feelings started to change to more romantic ones." Annie shrugged, and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "I must say, Georgiana, we do a fantastic job."

Lizzie smiled at her reflection. Her hair was swept back off her face, slightly curled, and her makeup was subtle yet flawless. It looked like _her_, only a more polished version. Normally, Lizzie would pair a dress like this with some funky, artsy jewelry, but somehow she didn't think Lady Catherine would like that.

"Do we have any jewelry?" Lizzie asked.

"I might have something, I'll go look. Annie, would you check your things?" Georgiana asked, and both girls walked out the door, letting Will in, though Lizzie didn't see him.

"You are perfect." He smiled. And it was true. Lizzie was the perfect marriage of modesty and fashion, vintage and modern.

"But not finished." Lizzie smiled at him through the mirror. "They went to find me a necklace. I should have brought the set you gave me for the wedding, but I wasn't thinking"

"I think I can take care of that." Will grinned, setting a box on the table. "Happy belated birthday and four month anniversary."

"I think you are working way too hard to think up a reason to give me a present." Lizzie shook her head, smiling.

"That was our deal. You said expensive gifts for a reason, you never said it had to be a big reason or event." Will opened the box to reveal a perfect strand of pearls with matching earrings.

"Oh, they're beautiful." Lizzie breathed. "Thank you."

"I thought you might need a set like this." Will explained, kneeling down behind her. He gently fastened the necklace, kissing the back of her neck softly and trailing a few kisses down to her bare shoulder. Lizzie tilted her head to give him better access, not wanting him to stop. If he kept this up, Lizzie would never complain about getting a new necklace again.

"Ehem." Richard cleared his throat, standing in the wide-open doorway.

Will stopped, burying his head in her shoulder. Lizzie felt the blush creep up but she was determined not to give Richard satisfaction of embarrassing her. "Can we help you?"

"I don't care what you two do in private. But for god's sake, lock the door. Or at least shut it. Do you want Aunt Catherine to catch you? And Georgiana does not need to see that." Richard scolded them.

"I didn't lock the door because I was just going to deliver Lizzie's present and leave." Will sighed, standing up. "You are right, that would effectively blow our secret."

Lizzie was fighting back giggles. "It would provide an interesting response from your Aunt, I think."

Then the three of them did burst out laughing. "They would hear her screaming in France." Will laughed.

"And then she would start cursing in German!" Richard added.

"What?" Lizzie asked, amused.

"The keep us from hearing them swear when we were little, our parents and Aunt Catherine used to swear in German. Of course, we all knew what they meant so all it was teaching us was how to curse in German. It's actually quite satisfying." Will explained. "Somehow, yelling in German is much more fun than yelling in English."

"It'd almost be worth it just to hear that." Lizzie smiled, grabbing her jacket. "Almost."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 9

Will brought Elizabeth over to Lady Catherine as soon as they entered the living room. Lady Catherine was a mildly handsome older woman, dressed from head to toe in Chanel. She would still be very beautiful if it weren't for the scowling look of disdain she perpetually wore. Her hair was perfectly coiffed and Lizzie counted seven rings on her fingers. Despite the nice clothes, hair and jewelry, the best word to describe Lady Catherine was _severe_.

Darcy didn't even have a chance to introduce her before Catherine started in on her grand inquisition. "So this is Elizabeth Bennet. Come closer."

"Good evening, your Ladyship." Lizzie walked over and nodded her head respectfully. "It is an honor to meet you, Lady-"

"You look very young to be friends with my nephew." Lady Catherine interrupted. "You are, at lease, able to dress yourself halfway respectably, though you went too simple on the jewelry."

"Aunt, Lizzie and I met in Hertfordshire. She showed me all the good running trails after we discovered a shared interest in running and we've been friends ever since. She is being so kind as to baby-sit my car for me and take me to the airport."

"Nonsense, you'll use a car service." Catherine said, matter-of-factly.

"No, Aunt. The last thing I need is for some chauffeur to tip off the press. I would like to leave the country in peace." Darcy said firmly. "And I'll hear no more about it."

"Lizzie, will you play a duet with me while we wait for dinner?" Georgiana asked, trying to break up the sudden tension in the room.

"Sure. Though I do not know why you like to play with me, you are ten times, a hundred times better than I am." Lizzie sighed, but made her way to the piano anyway.

"I've told Georgiana time and time again that she must practice constantly." Lady Catherine said with authority.

"She already does so, without any extra encouragement." Will replied blandly, looking over at the piano where Rick was obviously entertaining the two girls.

"Elizabeth Bennet is not very bad, but she is no talent. If Anne or I had ever learned, we would have been excellent players, noted for our skill and taste."

Lizzie couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, which set Georgiana off. Annie was clearly covering her laughter with a coughing fit and Rick and Darcy were biting their tongues.

"Now Lizzie, you must tell me what Darcy was like in Hertfordshire." Rick smiled.

"I don't know if you are prepared for this." Lizzie said, mock serious. "I considered having him committed several times."

"So he was driven mad by your beauty?" Richard wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not hardly!" Lizzie laughed. "We met at a club opening. Now, I don't usually do the club scene, but when I go, I try to at least have a good time."

"I'm sure my brother walked around with a sour look on his face all night." Georgiana smiled.

"But I can't really blame him. An evil botoxed deb was trying to get her hooks into him. For the first few months, though, I thought he was honestly bipolar." Lizzie grinned and noticed Will walking over. "Your ears must have been burning. But you don't scare me, Will Darcy."

"I know from experience it is impossible to scare you, except with clowns." Will smiled smugly at her shudder. "I also know you enjoy expressing opinions you don't actually believe in and like to embellish the facts."

"Your brother is being very mean, he'll teach you not to believe a word I say." Lizzie did her best to look reticent but failed miserably.

"What is so very entertaining? I demand to know." Lady Catherine said.

"Lizzie was regaling us with stories from Hertfordshire." Richard explained. "Is dinner not ready yet?"

"I am ready for it whether they like it or not. Come along then." Lady Catherine stood and made her way to the dining room.

"Annie?" Richard offered her his arm. "We didn't mean to leave you out."

"It is a small price to pay for my freedom, Richard." Annie whispered and took his arm, smiling softly.

"Ladies?" Will offered both his arms to Lizzie and to Georgiana. "How are you doing with all this, Liz?"

"If we locked her and my mother in a room together, who do you think would crack first?" Lizzie asked and Will and Georgiana laughed quietly.

Dinner was dreadful. Lady Catherine dominated all conversation. She waffled between thinly veiled insinuations about Anne and Will, instructing Georgiana on everything, and grilling Elizabeth like she was a murder suspect.

Will wondered why he ever had the audacity to say Lizzie's family was badly behaved. His aunt was insufferable. He was pretty sure Lizzie had not gotten more than a bite to eat of several courses, she was peppered with questions – insulting, impertinent, and ridiculous questions.

Lady Catherine had just launched into a tirade about dress lengths when he felt his phone buzz. Quickly, Darcy chanced a look. It was from Georgiana who was sitting a few seats down from him, further away from his Aunt.

"Marry her, please." The text said.

Will fought down a laugh. That was his plan, and watching Lizzie sit there and bear with his Aunt with grace – never capitulating but never rude – was making the idea sweeter and sweeter. His phone buzzed again. This time it was Richard.

"Careful Cuz. When the She-demon returns to her lair, drinks in the lib?"

"What is it? Fitzwilliam! I have told you how rude it is to text at the table." Catherine turned her glare towards her nephew.

"Forgive me, Aunt." Will said, thinking of a lie quickly. "I…my vet is just keeping me posted on one of my horses. We're expecting a new foal, and it should be a magnificent animal if the sire is any indication."

"Yes." Will sent a quick text back.

Finally, with dinner over, Lady Catherine decided it was time to go to bed. The rest of the group pretended to follow her but detoured into the library.

"Oh bless it all." Annie sighed, plopping down into a chair.

Will sat in the other chair and pulled Lizzie onto his lap.

"Who wants a drink?" Richard asked, pulling a decanter of booze and glasses from a cabinet.

Everyone's hand went up. "Double for me, please." Annie said. "I swear, she gets crazier every day."

"At least Lizzie kept her attention away from us some." Georgiana smiled. "And as happy as I am about that, I am sorry you had to suffer through it, Lizzie. Brother, please tell me you warned her."

"Yes, Sister, I did. You and Rick nearly got me in trouble with those blasted texts." Will grimaced and raised his glass. "To Lizzie, for her incredible skill in slaying the she-dragon."

"To Lizzie." The others toasted, making her blush.

"Wait until you meet my mother, then I will be the one toasting you." She grinned.

"Lizzie, you'll have to let us take you and Jane shopping while Will is in New York_._" Georgiana smiled. "If you two are going public when he gets back, you have a lot of events to get clothes for."

"Ah yes. We are really good at buying clothes. Between this and the jubilee and Olympics next year, I think I'll have a whole new wardrobe." Annie laughed.

"Between the two of you, I'll have a new wardrobe every time there is a dinner party." Lizzie teased.

"Well, you won't let me spoil you directly so I must resort to subterfuge." Will smiled.

"And I have told you over and over that I need no spoiling. I am plenty spoiled as it is." Lizzie shook her head.

"Well, I need more to drink. So, Georgie, Annie, want to join me in the living room for more drinks and perhaps a film? I'll even let you choose." Richard smiled. "Safe flight, Darce. Keep me posted."

"Safe trip, Brother." Georgiana kissed his cheek. "Call me the minute you land."

Annie put her hand on his shoulder. "Have a good flight, but if you call me and wake me up instead of just texting me when you land, I'll kill you."

"Goodnight." Will rolled his eyes. "Come on, I've got to get out of this suit."

"What, you don't want to ride in a plane for hours in a three-piece suit?" Lizzie asked, mock-surprised. "Good, because I am dying to be in my sweats. Meet in your room in ten minutes?"

"Deal."

Lizzie walked into his room, now wearing yoga pants and his sweatshirt and carrying a baseball cap. "Do I look presentable enough to take you to the airport?"

"Very non-descript." Will smiled, trying not to stare too long at how her very fit body looked in the skin-tight yoga pants. "Do I pass inspection?"

Will was wearing a t-shirt and jeans that fit his body perfectly. It was dressed like this that Lizzie thought he was most handsome, because he seemed so much more comfortable and not at all stuffy.

"So do you pack the suit?" Lizzie asked.

"I have my things sent ahead for long trips like this so I don't have to deal with checking a bag." He explained. "And I'll change when I get there, because suits were not made for seven hour plane rides. Now, before we leave, you have to take the pledge."

"The…pledge?" Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Hold up your hand and repeat after me." Darcy instructed and Lizzie did as she was told. "I, Elizabeth Rigby Bennet,"

Lizzie rolled her eyes, but repeated "I, Elizabeth Rigby Bennet,"

"Do solemnly swear,"

"Do solemnly swear,"

"That I will treat the Mercedes,"

"That I will treat the Mercedes,"

"Like it is my own child."

Lizzie gave him a look.

Darcy shook his head. "You have to do it, Liz."

Lizzie sighed. "Like it is my own child."

"And do promise to return it without a scratch."

"And do promise to return it without a scratch."

Will kissed her gently. "That's my girl."

Lizzie rolled her eyes again. "I sweat I think I should be jealous of the car."

"Not at all, my love." Will smirked. "I absolutely love the car more."

"Jerk!" Lizzie exclaimed, hitting him playfully.

Will grabbed her hand and wrapped her up in his arms. "It's not nice to hit, you know."

"It's not nice to tell your girlfriend you love your car more than her." She countered, pouting.

Will kissed her. "God, even when I know you are faking the pout it kills me. Of course I love you more than the car. Much, much more."

"Thank you darling." Lizzie grinned.

"But it is a really, really nice, one-of-a-kind vehicle." He pointed out. "So I would appreciate it if you took good care of you both while I'm gone."

"Any special rules?" Lizzie asked.

"You shouldn't need to do anything other than plug it in." Will shrugged. "If you need it, it takes regular petrol."

The Mercedes in question was a classic 60s 300SL Roadster convertible. Will had a custom engine installed in it, along with a state-of-the-art sound system designed to look like the original radio. It was the only one in existence, so he was, understandably, protective of it. Lizzie actually loved the car, it's silver exterior and red leather interior were absolutely stunning, and the convertible feature was fun.

They drove to the airport talking quietly and holding hands. When they arrived at the airport, it was very quiet because of the late hour. A slip of Darcy's hand to airport security and Lizzie was allowed all the way back to the gate.

"How much did you have to give him?" Lizzie asked.

"It was worth it. And you'll see why in about ten minutes." Will replied. "All the major tabs have an unofficial agreement with airline workers. Report something that makes a get story, get a reward. The better the story, the better the reward."

"And the Earl of Devon showing up at the airport with an unknown woman, clearly a girlfriend, I wager that's a pretty big reward."

"Well, they used to pay upwards of 1,000 pounds for anything juicy on Diana, and that was ten years ago. We'd be worth at least that." He explained. "This will sell papers, so don't be surprised if a grainy shot of you shows up in the rags tomorrow."

"Ah yes. The mysterious love of Lord Darcy, how the rumors do fly." Lizzie teased.

"They might figure it out, if someone puts two and two together with the wedding and all." Will pulled her into a hug, touching her cheek gently. "You could be in for a rough month."

"I am already in for a rough month." She sighed.

"I know the feeling." He rested his forehead against hers. "You can still come with me."

"Exams." Lizzie said. "I can't skip out."

"I could take care of that, you know. You could take them when you get back." Will suggested.

"It's kind of hot when you throw your weight around." Lizzie grinned, kissing him. "But I think even you would have a hard time getting me through customs without a passport."

"How about I make a call and you get to take all your exams early and you come see me in New York next week?" Will pulled out an envelope.

"You already bought a plane ticket?"

"No. It's a voucher for the price of a ticket, good anytime." He smiled. "I rent out a whole penthouse suite so you'd have plenty of space."

"I'll see what I can do." Lizzie nodded and kissed him again. "You better go."

"I have time."

"No you don't. They've called your name twice. If you don't get moving, you will miss your flight." She said softly.

Will kissed her as passionately as he could. "I love you."

With that, he walked over to the gate and boarded the plane, looking back at her one more time before the airline employee made him get moving.

Sitting down in first class, Will felt something in his jacket pocket. It was a note.

_ Be safe. I love you._

_ -Lizzie_

Will grinned. It was so very Lizzie, short, sweet and possibly the greatest five words he'd ever seen written.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 10

Usually, New York was one of Darcy's favorite places to visit. He'd go to the Met, a show or two, and just enjoy himself and his relative anonymity. Now, though, it just felt large and empty. Will did know one place he could find a friend and he just happened to have a job for her. Checking his pocket for the small velvet case he'd taken to carrying around with him, Darcy walked up to the doors of Harry Winston and knocked.

The guard checked his clipboard and hit the intercom button. "Sir, we don't take customers without an appointment."

"Please tell Ms. Reynolds that Will Darcy is here." Darcy sighed, irritated that he had to go through this _every_ time.

In less than a minute, Harriet Reynolds was at the door, trying to let him in and hug him at the same time.

"Will." She smiled, looking him over. "You look great. What brings you to my door?"

Darcy smiled at Harriet. "I bring greetings and scones from your mother, you'll have to get those later, and I have a job for you." Will smiled. "You look great too, Harriet. How's the big 3-0 treating you?"

"Age is only a number," Harriet waved a hand. "Let's see this job and I will decide if you will be paying us for a job or just taking me out to dinner."

"I'm going to do that anyway." Will shrugged and pulled the little red velvet box out of his pocket. "I need this sized and cleaned and repaired, I guess."

Harriet took the box. "Sit, make yourself comfortable, have some tea. American tea isn't half bad, I even like it cold now."

"Bite your tongue, Harriet." Will said, sitting. "What do you think?"

Harriet opened the box and studied the ring. It was a beautiful silver ring with a large rose-cut diamond set in the middle of a ring of sapphires, then tiny pearls and then diamonds again. The ring was beautiful and large, but its delicate silver work and the setting made it seem light and elegant.

"Will! This must be…the setting is at least two hundred years old, the diamond might be even older. This was your mother's." Harriet was lost in examining the ring. "Who is the lady? My mother hasn't said a word and I haven't seen anything in the papers."

"You haven't met her. Her name is Elizabeth." Will smiled. "She's…well, she should be coming at the end of the month and you will get to meet her yourself. Can you fix the ring?"

"First off, this ring is in excellent condition for its age. So it doesn't need repair so much as some preservation. I'll have them wrap the band in platinum and there is a solution we can put on the silver to coat it and keep it strong. Just…she can't do dishes or bathe with the ring on." Harriet warned.

"I'll be sure to tell her."

"Not that anyone you date actually does their own dishes. I don't even do dishes but that's because my husband and my wonderful dishwasher do it for me."

"And you probably eat out five days a week." Will laughed. "You forget, I know you, Harriet Reynolds. And Lizzie not only does her own dishes, she does laundry and her own grocery shopping and her own cleaning."

"Really?" Harriet looked surprised. "Can it be that the great Earl of Devon is in love with a commoner?"

"I don't like that term. But yes." Will lowered his head. "And that pride in my station nearly lost me a chance with the love of my life."

"Honey, it's okay. You weren't raised the way the rest of us were. I'm just glad she came back to you after knocking you down a peg." Harriet patted his knee. "For this, you will owe me a very nice dinner. It'll be done in about two weeks, and I will see to it personally. Now, old friend, you have to scoot. I have three clients coming in today and I don't like any of them as much as I like you so I'll be needing some time to mentally prepare."

"Of course." They stood and Will kissed her cheek. "Dinner tomorrow night? I'll take you and Louis out to Puglia's."

"Tomorrow doesn't work for Lou. He's in Boston until Tuesday. But I am absolutely up for dinner." Harriet grinned and walked him out. "See you tomorrow night…six thirty?"

"Can't wait." Will nodded and walked off. He was so distracted, he ran right into Caroline Bingley.

"William!" Caroline exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Caroline. What are you doing here?" Darcy demanded, wondering how she had managed to crash his nice, peaceful business trip.

"Will, _darling, _there are five couture preview shows this week. Where else would I be?" Caroline latched on to his arm and he attempted to pry himself out of her grasp.

"England." He groaned. "You're supposed to be in England. You can't possibly be going the same place I am."

"But didn't Charles tell you? We're in the same hotel!" Caroline grinned. "Perhaps you can accompany me to some of the shows? I do so need a date."

"It might have escaped your notice, Caroline, but I have a girlfriend." Will said, finally getting his arm out of her grasp. "And I _hate_ fashion shows."

It didn't take long for Will to find a way to escape Caroline, and the minute he did, he was on the phone with Charles.

"Charles." Darcy said, impatient, as soon as someone picked up.

"No, Will, it's me." Jane replied.

"Where's Charles? Why do you have his mobile? Why aren't you with Elizabeth right now?" Will demanded.

"I didn't realize phone calls with you were like the Spanish Inquisition." He could hear Jane's smile. "Lizzie stopped needing my company to console her yesterday, she's totally focused on studying for her exams. To give her some quiet, I left my apartment and came to meet Charles for lunch. He was out riding, so he's in the shower. Do you want him to call you back?"

"Did you know Caroline was going to be in New York?" Darcy asked.

"No, she said she'd be in Paris, but that she'd be reachable only on her mobile. Why?" Jane asked, confused. "Here's Charles now."

"Thanks Jane." Will sighed, her pleasant manner having chased away much of his irritation. "Charles, do you know where your sister is?"

"Louisa? Oh, Caroline. She…what'd she do?" Charles asked.

"I just ran into her in New York. Why is she here?"

"I don't know, Darcy. She was supposed to be in Paris. I'll call her and talk to her, but she's an adult with her own trust fund. I can't control her." Charles sighed. "I'll tell her you aren't interested, again, but I don't know how much good it'll do, since I've told her five times already."

"Don't bother. We already know it won't work." Will shook his head. "I saw a picture of Lizzie and I at the airport in a rag this morning. Has anyone figured it out yet?"

"A few of them are speculating that Lizzie is your girlfriend based on the airport photos and the photos of the two of you at the wedding." Charles reported. "Lizzie is being hounded, either they think she is your girlfriend or she knows who the mystery girl is. She's been allowed to miss the rest of her classes and spend her time studying at Jane's, where it's gated and the press can't get to her."

"I was afraid this would happen." Darcy sighed. I just figured it'd take them longer than a week to start bugging her. How is she handling it all?"

"With grace. Jane's been doing all she can but you know how the press can be." Charles said. "We're taking good care of her, Will."

"I know you are. I'll have to see if there is anything I can do. I hate that she needs me and I'm 2,000 miles away."

After a few days practice, Will felt confident in his ability to shake Caroline. He would be busy with meetings, events, and work so he could avoid her during the day, and at night she went to shows or out on the town, so he was left in peace. Elizabeth was his only joy, they talked every night, sometimes for hours, sometimes for only a few minutes, but they talked. He went out to dinner and to shows with Harriet and her husband a few times and even went shopping on his own when he knew Caroline was occupied getting something injected or sucked or tucked or something. Harriet met up with him and they went to their very favorite place for dinner, a restaurant in Little Italy with the best eggplant parmesan they had ever had.

"So, you are really serious about Elizabeth, aren't you?" Harriet asked.

"Very serious." Darcy replied. "I love her, but I don't know if I should ask her yet. She's still in university."

"How old is she?" Harriet asked.

"21." Will bit his lip. "To tell you the truth, I sometimes forget that she is 21, she doesn't really act like it. She's…Lizzie is an old soul."

"She is a lot younger than you, my friend. She may not know if she's ready to take the plunge yet." Harriet warned. "Let her tell you that she wants to get married, then ask her. Otherwise, you'll rush her and you may not like the answer."

"How will I know?" Darcy asked.

"The same way Lou did. We women, we have ways to let you know." Harriet replied. "You just have to make sure you are listening. Remember, I was a young bride too."

"I know. But you and Louis love each other. It's evident."

"It is. He bought my engagement ring after our third date." Harriet laughed. "But I wasn't ready until almost a year after that."

"Yeah, but when you were ready, he proposed and the two of you went to the court and got married immediately."

"I have no patience." Harriet shrugged. "I've got to be in Vegas for a show day after tomorrow and I'll be gone a week, but once your Lizzie gets here, the four of us are going to dinner."

"Yes ma'am." Will laughed.

"Lizzie, are you sure about this?" Jane asked, watching her sister pack.

"My exams are done except the one online one and I can't stay indoors any longer. No one in New York knows who I am or cares. Jane…I just…I miss him. I can't believe how badly I miss him. Plus it's horrible here right now, I can't even go to the store!" Lizzie sighed, plopping down on the bed. "The minute we come back from New York, he's releasing a statement so I don't have to deal with the constant speculation."

"The press knowing doesn't make it any better." Jane shook her head. "It just changes the questions."

"I just…it would be easier to deal with if Will was here, you know. You had Chuck for every step of the way."

"Lizzie, you cannot call my boyfriend 'Chuck'."

"So you and Will keep saying." Lizzie shrugged. "He calls me Lizard. I think you should just be happy that your sister and your boyfriend are such good friends."

"Will and I are friends and I don't call him 'Bill' or anything." Jane pointed out.

"That's because Will brings out your serious side. And if you really want to give him a nickname, you need to use his real first name and call him Fitz."

Jane made a face. "I keep forgetting his name isn't actually William."

Lizzie grinned. "Okay, here's the deal, Janey. That car is Darcy's baby. Be very careful if you have to move it or something. Is Charles sure about this driver?"

"Yes. Kyle is a great driver who is paid very well to keep his mouth shut. He hasn't betrayed anything yet and I don't think he's stupid enough to do so."

"What do you mean?"

"Will and Charles hire him out for the day, regardless of how long they actually need him. He could double his pay by taking more runs when he isn't needed but he doesn't. So now they reward him handsomely for his work and use him almost exclusively." Jane explained. "He's very nice, you'll like him."

"Good, I'm really beginning to love discretion." Lizzie attacked her closet again. "I have _nothing_ to wear."

"What about all those clothes Georgiana bought you?" Jane asked,

"Most of them are in Kent. I didn't…I thought I'd be able to get back there before I left." Lizzie sighed.

"Bring an empty suitcase and get clothes while you are in New York." Jane suggested. "You are just going to have to let him spend money on you, Lizzie."

"I know." Lizzie sighed. "I can deal with it, I guess. I just feel so…unequal when he does that."

"Papa raised us right." Jane smiled. "Speaking of Papa, does he know everything?"

"Yes. He made me go to Longbourn and tell mother face-to-face." Lizzie sighed. "He called me three days ago, he had this lovely story to tell me, because our cousin Bill had called him…"

_"Lizzie, I have just had the most fascinating phone call with Bill Collins." Mr. Bennet said._

_"Bill Collins? Whatever could he want?" Lizzie asked._

_"According to Bill, you are rumored to be dating – oh, you'll love this – dating Lord Darcy. Lord Darcy! Of all people, can you imagine? I've never heard anything so ridiculous." Mr. Bennet laughed. "Apparently, our proud friend's aunt is furious over it. Ha! You and Lord Darcy! Ha!"_

_"Papa." Lizzie fought back a frustrated sigh. "Papa, it's true."_

_There was silence on the end of the line for a moment. Then Mr. Bennet burst out laughing and Lizzie felt like crying._

_"Papa, I'm not kidding. I think his Aunt's officious interference is a bit much but Papa…please listen, and don't say a word until I am finished." _

_"Oh dear Lord, you are serious." Mr. Bennet was dumbfounded and a little ashamed._

_"Papa, I love him. He is a good man and usually all that pride you see is really just him being shy. We kept it a secret from everyone to make sure it wouldn't be leaked to the press. I was going to tell you about us today because I'm leaving for New York the day after tomorrow."_

_"New York? Lizzie!" _

_"We've been together since February. I love him, he is the kindest, most thoughtful man I have ever met and he's given me a voucher for a plane ticket. Will is in New York another two and a half weeks. I don't want to be away from him that long. I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did, but Papa…"_

_"If you truly love him, okay. You are one of my rational daughters, I know you don't throw the word 'love' around lightly. And you can go to New York with my blessing on one condition…"_

"So his condition was telling Mum?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, Papa wanted to talk face to face and he said he wasn't going to be the one to deal with her flutter of nerves, it had to be me." Lizzie replied. "She was stunned silent. If you marry Charles and I marry Darcy, she might spontaneously combust from excitement. Speaking of marriage and Chuck…"

"If he asks, I'll say yes." Jane blushed a little. "Have you and Will talked about it?"

"We've broached the topic. It's a little different for us, I'm 21 and Will is 28. You're 25 and Charles is 27, so the age gap isn't as big. Will is ready, I know, but I sometimes question if I can really know what I want at 21. Then I start to wonder if I could actually handle the pressure of being a Countess."

"If it were Lydia saying this at 21, I'd tell her she absolutely needs to wait. You've always been more careful, always thinking things through. That 21 year old is ready to be married if she decides she is. As for the other thing, you are smart, frugal and kind. You'll be just fine."

"The next few weeks will be our real test. The weekend at Pemberley was fun, but this will be more realistic. He'll be working a lot, and I guess that'll be how it is if we get married. I mean, you really can't work if you marry one of them…"

"I know. I've been thinking about what I'm going to do when I get my contract. But it isn't so much that you can't work, it's that you have to do different work. I've looked into starting a charity, Lizzie, a literacy initiative that puts books in the hands of children and fantastic programs for school libraries._ If_ Charles and I get married, that's going to be my job I think."

"More like _when_."

"Says the girl who is about to do a cohabitation trial run."

Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her sister. "I'm as packed as I can be."

"Kyle should be here any minute. How are you going to do this?"

"Darcy is scheduled to call me in about ten hours so I have time to finish my exam. I'll call him and say I got done early, then I'm going to find out where he is and go surprise him."

"Lizzie, you've never been to New York. How do you plan to actually find him?" Jane asked. "I mean, if you use that card he gave you, he'll know."

"I have enough money to hire a car service for two hours." Lizzie grinned. "It's an adventure, Jane. I can't wait to see his face."

New York was like London, only bigger and much newer. Nothing in the city was older than two hundred years, and coming from a country that had thousand year-old buildings, it was a definite change. Her driver was fantastic, and was eager to help once she told him her plan.

"Will?" Lizzie asked as she got on her mobile. "Hi."

"Hi darling, how was it?" Will asked.

The flight? Lizzie forgot for a moment that he thought she had just finished an exam, "Oh…hard, but I finished early. What are you up to today?"

"I have a meeting in ten minutes and them I'm headed back to the hotel at noon for lunch and to get a little work done."

"Well, I have an idea. Where are you going for lunch?"

"The hotel. It serves a good variety. Why?" He asked.

"Bring your iPad. I'll go to a similar hotel with my laptop and order food and we can Skype and pretend like we are having lunch together." Lizzie explained. "It'll be like I'm there with you."

"Liz, won't we look a little ridiculous?" Will asked.

"Only ridiculously romantic. Please, Will? I need to see you." Lizzie put her best pout into her voice.

"I'm never going to say no, am I?"

"See you in an hour or so, darling." Lizzie grinned. "Love you."

"I love you too."

"That's awesome, if you don't mind me overhearing." The driver said, his accent still catching her off guard.

"I don't mind, I need to got to the London Hotel on 54th street." Lizzie said.

The driver whistled. "Wow. You've got some boyfriend, Lady. I'm Mike Cousins, at your service."

"Lizzie Bennet." Lizzie shook his hand. "I have to say, Mike, I didn't realize New Yorkers actually sounded like that."

"Well, I'm from Brooklyn. Each of the boroughs has their own take on the accent. I don't hear it always, but that's cause I'm from here. Personally, I've always loved the British accent."

"Boroughs?"

"Yeah, kind of like neighborhoods but a heck of a lot bigger. Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx, Manhattan. There's a deli by Grand Central where the owner can tell what borough you're from, where in the borough, and sometimes the street you live on just by listening to how you talk."

"Impressive." Lizzie nodded.

"So, straight to the London Hotel?" Mike asked.

"Well, I have about an hour. Can you see many sights in an hour?" Lizzie asked.

"With Mike Cousins, you sure can." Mike grinned.

He took her everywhere traffic allowed so she could see the things that tourists like to see: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, and finally Times Square.

"They had a big old party here for that wedding. Did you watch it?" He asked.

"Not exactly…I was there."

"Like, in London?"

"My boyfriend was invited to the wedding and I went with him."

Mike looked back at her, dumbstruck. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Wow." He grinned. "You got some boyfriend. What is he, like a count or something?"

"No. Count is a German or French term, we don't have those. He is an Earl, the 19th Earl of Devon." Lizzie laughed. "His best friend started dating my sister and the rest…is history."

"So now you're here to surprise him?"

"He had to come to New York on business for a month. I wasn't able to get away, but I rearranged my schedule to come and surprise him."

"Boy, do I got a story to tell my wife. Driving around a future Lady. Ain't many of us have that honor." Mike said.

"I'm just a regular girl. If we get married, then I'll be a Lady, but for now, I'm just ordinary."

"I think you're already a Lady." Mike shrugged. "Okay, here's the London Hotel. You go surprise him, I'll take care of the bags. What's his name?"

"Darcy." Lizzie smiled and tipped Mike generously. "Leave your card with the concierge, just in case I need another driver while I'm here."

"You go get 'em, Miss Bennet." Mike nodded.

Lizzie pulled out her mobile and dialed. "Will? Are you at the restaurant?"

"I just sat down. You?" Will replied and Lizzie looked around the restaurant to find him.

"Pulling up now. I want you to pretend like I am sitting right in front of you." She smiled as she saw a familiar head shake.

"All right."

Lizzie walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be a lot easier if you don't have to pretend."

Will was up with his lips on hers in less than a second.

"Hi darling." Lizzie whispered in between kisses. "Remember, we are in public."

Will just nodded and touched her face gently. "I missed you."

"I can tell." She grinned at him. "I love you."

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear those three little words from you." Will grinned. "But you need lunch, you've had a long day."

"It's been a fun one, though. I had the best driver. He told me about the boroughs and showed me the sights. And then I got to surprise you."

"And this is the best surprise." Will grinned. "There is a rule for New York that you have to agree to."

"What?"

"While we are in New York, I pay for things and I spoil you. No arguments."

"Will – "

"No arguments."

"Fine." Lizzie sighed. "So do you have to work all afternoon?"

"No. I was going to get some things done for a meeting next week, but no hurry. What did you want to do today, or is the jet lag bad?"

"I'm fine. I'd like to go see a museum."

"How about the Metropolitan Museum and dinner and shopping?" Will suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." Lizzie beamed. "It'll be nice to be public about our relationship and not have to worry about the paparazzi."

"Well, they're still here, but we're harder to find because not everyone knows who we are. I guess our quiet life at home is gone?"

"Our families know and the press isn't far behind." She sighed. "But I love you, warts and all."


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 11

Since her arrival at lunch, Will had only released Lizzie once for her to change and freshen up. He made sure his hand was on her back or holding her hand at all times, not that Lizzie minded in the slightest.

"These are beautiful." Lizzie smiled. "Art museums always remind me of when I was a little girl, my father would take us to work with him sometimes and see some of the paintings he was restoring."

"He was an art restorer?" Will asked.

"That…well, yes, he was. Papa used to work for MI-6."

"What!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Not…he wasn't a spy or anything…Papa used his art restoration skills and worked on projects for them. We think he worked in forging documents and identities. He went in the field a few times, but the last time he got shot in the leg and went back to work pretty exclusively for the museum. We think."

"Wow." Will gaped. "I mean…wow."

"He doesn't talk about it much, we only know what little we do because of his injury. Mama was the only one before then that even knew he wasn't really working for the museum exclusively." Lizzie nodded.

"Wow. So…if I were to go ask your Father for his blessing to propose to you?"

"You would be asking his _permission_, first of all, and second, be very polite about it." Lizzie warned, then blushed a little. "Have you been thinking about doing that?"

"That is my eventual plan, but not until you tell me you are ready." Will smiled at her.

"And if…if I was ready?" She asked.

"Then I'd start building up my courage and checking prices on a bullet-proof vest."

Lizzie hit him playfully. "He wouldn't use a gun to kill you, nothing that would leave a mark."

"You are filling me with confidence." Will shook his head and stopped walking, turning her to face him. "In all seriousness, Elizabeth. I do not want to rush you, I want you to be able to do all the things you want to do. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. When you are ready. I am willing to wait, forever, if I have to."

"Will, I don't take saying 'I love you' lightly. And I do. I love you. It may have to be a long engagement because of school, but I am ready. I wouldn't let us go public if I wasn't." She said. "Look, I love Jane and I love seeing her every day, but I've gone almost two months without seeing her and I was okay. I missed her, but I was fine. Two weeks without you were almost too much for me to bear. Does that tell you anything?"

"It tells me you were felling the exact same way I was. You have no idea how many times I considered flying back." He kissed her forehead gently.

"Now that we have that settled, I have two rules for you if you are going to propose." Lizzie smiled.

"Rules?"

"Yes. First, nothing too overblown or extravagant. Second, you must have Papa's permission."

"I agree to your terms and add one of my own. I pick the ring."

"I can live with that." She grinned and kissed him. "Now, tell me about this painting."

"It's a favorite, by Artemisia Gentileschi, _Judith Beheading Holofernes_. Of all the Judith paintings out there, this is my favorite, because I think it is the most real."

"And violent."

"That's part of the beauty. She was a unique artist, breaking boundaries and doing things her own way. A trait I clearly admire." Will smiled. "But my very favorite piece we will see tomorrow."

"After seeing this, I am intrigued." Lizzie nodded.

After an afternoon of the Met and shopping, Lizzie, Will, and the bellboy carried her ridiculous number of bags up to the suite. Darcy had bought everything she liked, and Lizzie lost track and gave up counting at two thousand dollars.

"At this rate, you are going to have to buy me another suitcase." Lizzie sighed, surveying the bags. "Please tell me there is a limit on the spoil Lizzie fund."

"There is, but you aren't even close yet." Will grinned.

"Will…"

"Elizabeth, you promised. No arguments." He walked over to her and pulled her close. "I have more money than I could ever spend in a lifetime and I want to spend a very small amount of it on you. Darling, I pull in about 9 million pounds a year, between all my properties, the house, the farms, and the horses. While I use some of it to maintain my fortune, my profits are not inconsiderable."

"I…good Lord, Darcy."

"That is my name." Will smirked.

"No." Lizzie sat down on the couch. "I mean, I knew you were rich but…sit down."

"Do you want me to give it away? I will." Will offered.

"No, darling." Lizzie shook her head, smiling. "I just need you to understand why I'm reacting like this. My whole life, I have expected that I would go to school, make a teacher's salary, and marry someone making the same or a bit more. I've always envisioned myself living like my parents do, comfortable but not extravagant. I never expected to get swept off my feet by a handsome, wonderful, and conveniently rich peer of the realm."

"Well, now you just get to buy nicer things and go on nicer vacations. It isn't that different." Will said.

"Proving that you really have no idea. But I love you for trying. It is going to take me a while to get used to all this."

"I can live with that." Will grinned. "Now, go get ready, we're going to dinner and then a show."

"Which show?" Lizzie asked, excited.

"Not…Georgiana's flat mate, Annesly, her mother is a fashion designer. She used to do wedding gowns exclusively and now she's branched out a bit. Georgiana made me promise I'd go, I'm just glad I have someone to share it with now."

"What's her name?" Lizzie asked, curious.

"Maria Dare." He replied. "It should be interesting. So, what do you want for dinner?"

"Well, when he was taking me around the city, Mike told me about this pizza place called Pala's and it is supposed to be the best pizza in town." Lizzie smiled. "Can we go?"

"You want to get dressed up to go to a fashion show and stop in at a pizza joint?" Darcy looked at her, shaking his head. She never ceased to surprise him.

"Is it really so far-fetched? Remember, I'm the one who made you go on a guided tour of your own house." She grinned. "Please?"

Funnily enough, no one batted an eye when Will and Lizzie walked into Pala's Pizza dressed to the nines. It was slightly casual and modern and had great character and everyone on staff looked Italian and possibly related.

They sat down and a pretty Italian looking girl walked over to them. "Evening. I'm Anna, I'll be your waitress. What can I get you?"

Lizzie was fascinated by the girl's accent. "What pizza do you recommend?"

"Oh my gawd, your accent is awesome!" Anna exclaimed. "I recommend any of the veggie pizzas, cause I don't eat meat, but they're all good. I do recommend you wash it down with a beer, not to fancy and tastes great."

"We'll order this one and two Budweisers." Lizzie pointed to a pizza on the menu.

Darcy gave her a look. "Going for the cultural experience?"

"You know what they say, when in America, drink the American beer." She laughed. "When is the last time you sat down and at greasy food and drank beer?"

"Uni, maybe?" Will chuckled. "I love that you can make something as simple as dinner into an adventure."

"Which is how it should be." Lizzie grinned.

The pizza was surprisingly good. It felt like a very American experience. From the pizza joint they went to the fashion show where the American experience ended. Maria Dare was the daughter of a French couture designer and an Argentinian painter. Maria had married a straight-laced English financial worker, so her show was a delightful mix of British sensibility, Parisian elegance, and all with a little Hispanic flavor, just like Maria herself. Lizzie loved every second of it. The dresses were, for the most part, to avant-garde for her, but a few were absolutely stunning. One in particular caught Lizzie's eye. It was a scalloped sweetheart top that cinched in at the natural waist then flowed down. The delicate gray fabric was beaded in an intricate vine design so subtle you couldn't see it without the light hitting it just right. A thin crystal belt accentuated the waist and the dress as a whole looked like grey water rippling over the model. It was deceivingly simple and absolutely elegant.

"If you had somewhere to wear them, which dress would you pick? I want to see if I guessed the right one." Will said as they made their way out of the show.

"The grey dress with the beading and the crystal belt. It was stunning. But I have no reason to own a dress like that." Lizzie sighed.

"Blast. I thought you'd like that green one with the belt." Darcy lied smoothly. He knew she loved that dress and had already set Georgiana on the task of getting the grey dress at any cost. "Do you want to head back and speak to Maria?"

"I'd rather walk back to the hotel with you." Lizzie shrugged. "Much as I adored her work…I do not adore that crowd."

"Thank you." He grinned. "Though perhaps, not a walk."

"I don't want to ride in a cab, it's a beautiful night…" Lizzie trailed off when an adorable carriage pulled up to the sidewalk. "Yay."

"And I have even better news. You must have left your mobile in the hotel room." Will laughed. "You're finally getting that brother you've always wanted."

Lizzie squealed. "I think I will burst. I'm so happy for Jane and Charles!"

Will pretended to clear out his ear. "Well, I did hire the carriage for an hour, so if you could post-pone your bursting until we get back to the hotel, I'd appreciate it."

"I will do my best." Lizzie laughed and he helped her into the coach.

Lizzie was sound asleep when she heard a loud banging on the door. It was at least two hours before she had planned to get up. She walked out the door and looked over the railing to where Will sat downstairs.

"Who the bloody…" Will grumbled as he made his way to the door. "Caroline."

"Bingley?" Lizzie asked. "Let her in. I'll get rid of her."

Will groaned and opened the door. "Good morning, Caroline. What on earth are you doing here so early?"

Caroline handed him a magazine claiming to have the "tell-all" on the mysterious girlfriend of Lord Darcy. Caroline was grinning, but that could just be the Botox, he really couldn't tell.

"Will, that better be breakfast – oh!" Lizzie feigned surprise as she walked down the stairs. She was wearing a tiny pair of shorts and one of his shirts. "Good morning, Caroline. I could have sworn Jane told me you would be in Paris. What are you doing in New York? Good morning, darling."

Lizzie stood on tip-toes and kissed him gently. Caroline didn't say a word. Because of the Botox, Lizzie couldn't tell if the silence was due to shock or fury or both.

"No, Jane must have misunderstood." Caroline regained enough composure to speak.

"Oh, I guess we really do need to make that public announcement when we get home, darling." Lizzie sighed, picking up the magazine. "Oh, where are my manners? Caroline, I believe Will ordered us breakfast, would you care to join us? How…sisterly of you to give us a head's up on the press."

"No, thank you. Goodbye." Caroline said tersely and high tailed it out of the room.

"That was brilliant, my love." Will pulled her close and kissed her.

"It would have been better if her face could move. Then I'd really enjoy her reactions."

Will laughed. "My darling, I could get used to you coming down stairs like this. But if you don't change clothes, I can't be held responsible for my actions."

Lizzie danced out of his arms. "So, where are we off to today?"

"Well, I have a meeting in about an hour. I _was_ going to let you sleep in and then take you to lunch and the Museum of Modern Art." Will shrugged, trying not to look at her. "I'll be in meetings all day tomorrow so I figured you could hire that driver you like to take you around to the sights. Just not the Statue of Liberty. I'll take you there myself because I've always wanted to climb it."

"Deal. So, who's your meeting with?" Lizzie asked, pouring some coffee.

"Harriet Reynolds. She's my housekeeper's daughter and a dear friend. I was hoping she could join us for dinner tomorrow night…" He replied.

"I'd like to meet her." Lizzie nodded and a knock sounded at the door. "Good, breakfast. You get that, I'll go get dressed."

Lizzie took the time to shower and Skype her sister while Will was at his meeting. Jane was floating beyond cloud nine, she was so happy.

"Oh Lizzie, it was so romantic!" Jane gushed. "Mama is beside herself. We're getting married in October."

"_This_ October? Janie, that isn't much time."

"I know. But it'll work with my new schedule." Jane shook her head. "I took a job at a private school, teaching reading part-time."

"A private school? That doesn't seem like you."

"It is a private school to help gifted urban students achieve more. They are identified and sent to the school where they are cared for from 6 AM to 6 PM. It is aimed at keeping intelligent high-risk children in school and successful." Jane smiled. "It is an amazing charity run by a few ladies connected with the houses."

"So you are going to keep working?"

"Well, I won't be getting _paid_. They are very excited to have a licensed teacher working with them." Jane grinned. "And how about you, jet-setter? How is New York?"

"Fun. Will is spoiling me rotten. I've just decided to take all my old clothes and donate them because I'll never get them all back in my suitcase with all the new stuff." Lizzie sighed. "I guess I never really understood how astronomically wealthy he was until now. It's a little intimidating."

"Let me get this straight. You are not bothered by the title, or the house that is so famous it is a museum, but the money? This intimidates you?" Jane laughed. "It is like Aunt Maggie always said, if you love someone, you accept them, warts and all."

"You are right of course. I don't think she was thinking about ten million a year being a wart."

"No. Probably not." Jane giggled. "Lizzie, are you truly happy?"

"Deliriously." Lizzie laughed. "I am certainly not has happy as you are today, but I'm as close as I can get."

"Well enjoy your peace there. We are dealing with an absolute circus over the engagement, and then they all want to know all about you and Will since someone snapped a photo of the two of you at a museum yesterday. You will come home to madness."

"I'm trying really hard not to think about it." Lizzie rolled her eyes. "You're really getting married in October?"

"Well, we're telling the press the wedding will be in February, but we'll have a big birthday bash because Charles and I both happen to have birthdays in October. So we're disguising the wedding as a giant birthday party."

"Sneaky, sister. Very sneaky. I'm going to elope, I think."

"In New York? Lizzie, are you sure?"

"What? No! I'm not ready yet. I just think, and I guess I'll probably need to talk this over with Will, I just don't want to make a big deal out of it. Do you think Will wants a big wedding?"

"I doubt it. Charles doesn't. But you know me, I've always wanted the traditional wedding." Jane grinned.

"Yes, you have. And I am so happy for you both." Lizzie said. "Tell Chuck that if he doesn't take good care of you, I'll kill him."

"Lizzie, you cannot call my boyfriend – my fiancé – Chuck!" Jane exclaimed.

"Sure I can. Talk to you soon Jane!" Lizzie smiled.

"Have fun, dear. See you when you get back." Jane rolled her eyes. "Love you."

"Love you too. Bye." Lizzie said and cut the connection.

"So how is she?" Will asked, startling her.

"Bloody..." Lizzie jumped a little. "Will! How long have you been back?"

"Not long." He grinned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"You don't look particularly sorry." She gave him her best mock-glare. "You're not ready to leave yet, right? I need, like, ten minutes."

"For what?" He asked, looking her over.

Lizzie was wearing a pair of jeans, flats, and a loose-fitting blouse. A blazer lay strewn over the chair behind her and with her bag and her hair was down and looked perfect.

"Will, I don't have a stitch of makeup on!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"You don't need it." Darcy shrugged, pulling her close. "You are beautiful, my love, you don't need to cover anything up."

"That may be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." Lizzie kissed him gently. "Do you really think so?"

"Darling, you are stunning. Your nose wrinkles and you bite your lip in the cutest way when something amuses you. And your eyes have such depth, such fire, that they sparkle with wit and charm. For me, not only are you gorgeous on the outside, but you have such a beautiful soul, my love, that I couldn't even try to look at anyone else." Will said softly, kissing her deeply.

"I love you." Lizzie whispered. "Don't you ever forget it."

"I promise not to." He nodded and bent down to kiss her again when his mobile rang. "Darcy. Thanks, we'll be right down."

"Car's here?" Lizzie asked.

"Yep. I made reservations for lunch."

"Good. I'm starving." Lizzie took his hand and led him out.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 12

Two weeks later…

"Jane! I'm back!" Lizzie said, walking into the apartment. "Jane!"

"Up here!" Jane called. It sounded like she was in the guest room (AKA Lizzie's room). She was, with two large dress bags laying on the bed.

Lizzie set down her suitcase and hugged her sister. "What's all this?"

"One is your bridesmaids dress, the other arrived for you three days ago." Jane grinned. "So, how was the trip?"

"No, no, no, no, no! First things first!" Lizzie grabbed her sister's hand. "That is some rock!"

The ring was a bit large, but still sensible. It was a two carat solitaire in a platinum setting. Many people would consider it unremarkable, except for its size, but it was perfect for Jane, elegant and traditional.

"Charles knows me well. It is not a blood diamond, it is from Canada, and he told me he chose platinum because it was the strongest metal available for rings, unbreakable, just like his love for me."

"That is disgustingly romantic." Lizzie laughed. "But adorable."

"Now, let's see this dress you ordered." Jane grinned.

"I didn't order a dress." Lizzie shook her head and unzipped the large dress bag. "He…"

"Lizzie, this is amazing." Jane said, admiring the beautiful gray dress and its delicate embroidery. "Where did it come from?"

"Will and I went to this couture show. He asked me what my favorite dress was, and this was it…he must have bought it. I can't believe he did this!"

"Why?"

"Jane, this is a couture dress, hand sewn, hand embroidered, and hand decorated with Swarovski crystals. How much to you think it cost?"

"It doesn't matter, Lizzie. He can afford it. Sometimes, we just have to let them spoil us." Jane smiled. "Besides, this dress is stunning."

"It is, isn't it?" Lizzie shook her head, grinning. "Let's open the bridesmaids dress too and I'll give you a little fashion show."

Richard thought his jaw might hit the floor. "You spent _five thousand pounds_ on a dress? Are you mental?"

"No. It was her favorite. And it'll be our first official public event. It would be better for Lizzie to start her public life on the best-dressed list." Will pointed out. "Besides, I have plenty of money. What else am I to spend it on?"

"Me, of course." Richard laughed. "So, when are you going to pop the question?"

"When she tells me she is ready. She's only 21."

"No way Lizzie is only 21." Rick felt his jaw drop again.

"She's still in University. She's officially graduated now, but she has to go back a year to get her teaching credentials." Will explained. "So I doubt she'll want to get married until after that. I'm willing to be patient."

"I refuse to believe that Lizzie is 21. She doesn't act like she's 21. And I never thought you'd cradle rob."

"Seven years isn't cradle robbing!" Darcy protested. "It's a gap, but Lizzie's not like most people. You said it yourself, she doesn't act like a normal 21-year-old."

"True." Richard shook his head and took a drink. "I can't believe you are finally going to take the plunge. You know who is going to be on a rampage, right?"

"I'm surprised I've made it this long. We've been back and out of hiding for a week." Will sighed. "Maybe she's just happy her nephew is happy."

Richard laughed. "And maybe the Queen is really Harry Potter in disguise."

Lizzie's first official public event was to be a fundraising gala for the upcoming 2012 Olympics and would be attended by, as Georgiana put it, "everyone who is anyone". Lizzie and Will would, officially, declare themselves as a couple at the event, though most of the tabs had already run a dozen stories about the pair of them. Georgiana had decided to treat Jane and Lizzie to a morning of pampering in preparation for the evening.

"This is going to be one of my favorite events, I think." Georgiana sighed as the ladies got their nails done. "And you two will look lovely."

"I'm just glad I have an event to wear that dress to, or I would have had to kill him for buying it." Lizzie sighed.

"That dress is stunning, Lizzie. It's worth it. Besides, we'll have plenty of formal events to go to, between the Olympics and the Jubilee next year." Jane smiled. "Just let him spoil you."

"Well, Will told me he wanted you to start official public life on the best dressed list, which is actually very shrewd of him." Georgiana pointed out.

"That is right. You only get one chance to make a first impression, Lizzie." Jane grinned at her sister.

"You're right, both of you." Lizzie nodded. "I'm just a bit nervous about tonight…I mean, this will be the first time I actually interact with the press…what if I mess things up?"

Before either Georgiana or Jane could respond, one of the salon attendants walked over to them. "Excuse me, Miss Bennet? Lady Catherine DeBourgh is here and is insisting on speaking to you in private. At once."

"I'm coming." Lizzie sighed. "Georgiana, do you know what she wants?"

"I have an idea, but I didn't even know she was in the city…" Georgiana shook her head. "Be brave, Lizzie!"

The salon attendant led Lizzie into one of the private massage rooms where the formidable Lady Catherine waited for her.

"Good morning, your Ladyship." Lizzie gave her best polite nod.

"You can have no confusion as to why I am here." Lady Catherine snapped.

"I do not know what I have done to receive the honor of your visit." Lizzie shook her head, forcing back her anger and a few choice words.

"I have heard a disturbing rumor that you are engaged to my nephew."

"Which one, ma'am?" Lizzie tried not to sound confused and not snarly. "You have three."

"Impertinent girl! You know who I am talking about! A scandalous report has reached me that you are engaged to Darcy. I wouldn't do him the dishonor of asking about this because I know he would have no part in this slanderous rumor. So I decided to confront you instead."

"_If_ such a rumor exists, your coming to me would confirm it more than deny it, you know." Lizzie pointed out.

"If? So you deny that you are behind this vicious rumor? That you and your family have circulated it?"

Lizzie was pretty sure the rumor just came from the fact that Jane and Charles were engaged and everyone pretty much knew she and Darcy were dating. It was not an entirely crazy leap, considering.

"I have not heard it." Lizzie shrugged, determined not to raise her voice. "But what possible reason could you have to object to it if it was his choice? What possible right do you have to interfere?"

"I am his mother's only sister! As such it falls to me to guide his choices and voice concerns when I see him making a mistake. He wouldn't propose to you, he's already engaged to my daughter."

Lizzie rolled her eyes; this woman was unbelievably stubborn. "Well, if that is the case, why are you even bothering to chase down a rumor? You should have nothing to worry about."

"I wish to have it denied." Lady Catherine said sharply. "Now answer me, are you engaged to my nephew?"

"Your ladyship has declared that to be impossible." Lizzie replied.

"Still that impertinent tongue and give me a yes or no." Catherine demanded.

"No." Lizzie said softly. "We are not engaged."

"And will you promise to never accept him, should he propose?"

"I will never promise that!" Lizzie exclaimed, affronted. "If Will were to propose, I'd say yes. I'd marry him tomorrow if he wanted. I love him. What are you playing at, your Ladyship?"

"Headstrong, foolish girl!" Lady Catherine fumed. "I don't care how either of you feel! You can be his mistress, provided you are discrete, but he cannot marry you. You? A girl with no money, no title, and no connections of any kind? God forbid! Are the halls of Pemberley to be so polluted?"

Lizzie had her fist clinched tight, probably destroying her manicure, but it was the only way she had maintained her composure thus far. Who did this woman think she was? "I will _never_ be any man's mistress. What Will and I do is none of your business. You have insulted me in every possible way and I am going to leave now. If you continue to harass me, I will call security and have you removed. Good day, Lady Catherine."

Will, Charles and Richard were enjoying a casual lunch when Lady Catherine stormed in, enraged.

"Of all the nerve! I have never been thus treated in all my life!" She ranted. "Fitzwilliam, you cannot be serious about that…that…harlot!"

Will slammed his glass down. "Watch your tongue, Aunt." He warned. "Charles, Rick, can you give us a moment?"

They didn't need to be told twice, without saying a word, Richard and Charles got up and practically ran out of the room. Neither wanted to be under fire from Lady Catherine and with Will's temper, this was looking to be a huge row.

"What have you done?" Will asked quietly when they were alone.

"I went to see Elizabeth Bennet, to have her deny the rumor, that she most certainly invented, that the two of you were engaged. And for my concern, I was insulted! Raged at! And completely disrespected."

"Aunt Catherine, Lizzie and I are not engaged. Yet." Will said softly. "But if I hear of any ill treatment from you…"

Lady Catherine looked incensed and astonished. "No, you are engaged to Anne. I told the Bennet girl she could be your mistress – "

"You what?" Darcy roared, furious. "How dare you?"

"How dare I? How dare you!" Catherine shouted. "What of Anne? What of her dreams?"

"Anne has never wanted to marry me, just as I have never wanted to marry her." Will replied, calming himself. "Anne and I are never getting married, give it up."

"Give it up? You are made for each other. I asked the Bennet girl to promise never to accept your proposal for your own good and she had the gall to tell me she would marry you tomorrow if you asked! I was thinking of a compromise. She is no good for you, Fitzwilliam. A girl like that should not be your wife."

Will took several steadying breaths. It would do no good to argue with his aunt, she would not hear it "Thank you, Aunt. You have made me very happy."

Lady Catherine looked confused.

"Yes, I told myself I would not propose until Lizzie tells me she is ready. She is an honest person, and would have said if she was not ready. She did not. So, if you will excuse me, I need to go and make a few arrangements."

"Arrangements for what?" Catherine asked.

"I'm going to ask Elizabeth Bennet to marry me. Tonight." Will smiled and walked out. Lady Catherine regained her composure and followed him, shouting.

Lizzie checked herself in the mirror. The dress looked like silver liquid, rushing over her body. Her simple bun and jewelry made the dress shine while enhancing her own natural beauty. Jane walked in behind her, the ethereal blue one-shoulder gown making her look like an angel.

"Jane, what if I can't do this?" Lizzie asked.

"You can. You are stunning." Jane smiled. "What has you worried?"

"Not…worried. I've just been thinking, ever since New York, what if Will proposes?"

"What if he does? What would you say?" Jane asked.

"My heart says yes." Lizzie replied. "And I know I love him and want to spend my life with him but then I start thinking about being a Countess. And then that…conversation...if you want to call it that…with Lady Catherine…I didn't lie. I'm ready to get married tomorrow if he wants. But does anyone else have those same thoughts that she does?"

"Well, doesn't she want him to marry his cousin? Isn't that, like…illegal?" Jane asked.

"Anne is adopted. She was Lady Catherine's third husband's child from his first wife." Lizzie explained.

"Okay. Less creepy, then." Jane nodded. "Look, you _can_ be a Countess. Remember, it's just a job, like any other job. It actually comes with some very pretty perks."

"It does, doesn't it?" Lizzie grinned, admiring them both in the mirror.

Will paced, and then checked his watch. "What are they doing in there? We are going to be late!"

"Relax. Women take their time for events like this, but it is always worth the wait." Richard grinned. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" Will exclaimed. "Who wouldn't be?"

"So, what's the plan?" Charles asked, thoroughly enjoying his friend's discomfort, having already been through it himself.

"After the gala, we're going to go back to Pemberley for a few days. The house is closed for the week so we can have Georgiana's birthday in peace. We should arrive just at dawn, and before we go in, I'll ask her."

"I've heard of men proposing at sunset, but not many at sunrise." Rick grinned.

"But you've seen sunrise at Pemberley. It's the most beautiful time of the day and I can't think of a better time or place to ask her." Will sighed. "She forbade me from doing anything over the top, so I'm letting nature make it's own fireworks."

"This is why you _have_ to marry her. It's a rare woman who yells at her millionaire boyfriend for spending too much money on her." Rick nodded. "Especially in our set."

"Jane does the same thing to me. I offered to buy her a car because the clunker she drives broke down, again. She told me no! Although, now that we are engaged, she might let me."

Georgiana came down the stairs. "Don't you all look dapper."

She looked beautiful in her green dress, demure and sweet but also stylish.

"You look beautiful, Sister." Darcy smiled and kissed her cheek.

Lizzie and Jane made their way down the stairs and Darcy forgot to breathe for a moment. Jane looked like a fairy, her light blue dress floating around her and her golden hair falling in luminous curls. Lizzie's dress hit her every curve, wrapping around her body like liquid, the low back showing off her fit physique.

"You, my darling, have outdone yourself." Will grinned and kissed her hand gently.

"You look dashing yourself." Lizzie smiled. Will was wearing a nice black suit with his medals of state and a crisp white shirt with the top collar button undone. He looked formal, yet relaxed. "But you, sir, are underdressed."

Will held up a black tie. "Should anyone say anything, I'll happily put it on."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and turned to the other men. Richard looked very official in his uniform and Charles looked very nice, his military medals of state stood out nicely against his black tux.

"Are we ready to go?" Lizzie asked.

"I think we should be asking you that question." Richard smiled cheekily at her. "After all, we were all waiting on the two of you."

"Let's get this over with," Lizzie sighed and they all climbed into the waiting cars.

Lizzie felt her nerves grow as they drove towards the opera house. Will held her hand and went over a few pointers.

"Any question you find impertinent, irritating, ridiculous, or you just don't want to answer, you say 'no comment'." He said. "I'll be there the whole time."

He picked up with held hands and kissed her fingers one by one.

"You promise?" Lizzie whispered.

"I promise." Will nodded. "Look, almost there."

Lizzie watched as Jane and Charles skillfully navigated the red carpet. Jane had an easy, graceful smile and they made their way down the red carpet, apparently chatting pleasantly with everyone.

"How does she do that?" Lizzie asked, letting out a small sigh of frustration.

"What?" Will looked out the window, curious.

"Jane. She looks like she's been doing this her whole life. And I'm sure she's telling the reporters about how wonderful the spirit of the Olympics is, and how it'll be a boost for the city and blah blah blah." Lizzie pouted. "I just can't do that."

"You don't have to. I almost never talk to the press." Will shrugged. "That's why Charles will eventually run for Prime Minister and I won't. He has always been friendly and pleasant and open about his life. I have not."

"So you're saying I should be unsociable and taciturn?" She teased.

"No." Will laughed. "I like to think I'm guarded and private. If I come across as taciturn in the press, I really don't care. You do what feels comfortable, but remember, you owe them nothing."

He climbed out of the car and offered her his hand. Lizzie stepped out, took a deep breath, and smiled. "Let's do this."

Will couldn't help but smile as they made their way into the hall. Lizzie was as natural as her sister, though not nearly as open. She was friendly but private and polite, deflecting questions as if she had been doing so all her life. The couple posed for a few pictures and then made their way inside.

"Are you okay?" Will asked once they were safely inside.

"Fine." Lizzie nodded, taking a deep breath.

"You were magnificent." He kissed her hand that he still held. "Absolutely perfect."

"I didn't expect so many questions. I can't believe someone asked if I was pregnant. As if I could hide a baby bump in this dress." Lizzie shook her head.

"We can go out a different way when we leave, avoid them." Will suggested.

"It is part of my life now. Don't do anything that you wouldn't normally do." She said resolutely.

Darcy walked up to the caller. He pounded his stick, "The Right Honorable Fitzwilliam Darcy, Earl of Devon and Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"Come, I want to introduce you to everyone important." Will smiled and led her through the room, introducing him to his friends and anyone of note. "Ah. Elizabeth, may I present my Aunt and Uncle? Andrew Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock and Rose Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock. Aunt, Uncle, this is Lizzie."

"Good evening." Elizabeth nodded politely. "Will has told me so much about you both. It is an honor to meet you."

"I am afraid we haven't had the same pleasure." Lady Rose Matlock grinned. "But it could have something to do with the fact that he doesn't visit us anymore."

"Will Darcy! How shocking!" Lizzie teased.

"Oh, we quite understand, dear." Lady Matlock nodded. "I'm sure this young lady's company is far more appealing than your old Aunt and Uncle."

"It's not that…I _was_ out of the country for a month." Will said. "I've just been busy."

"Busy indeed." Andrew nodded. "You've made an impression on my son, not an easy thing to do, my dear."

"Thank you, my Lord." Lizzie smiled. "Richard and I are certainly kindred spirits."

Will laughed. "They are. It's terrible. And they're corrupting Georgiana."

"She could stand with a little corrupting." Rose smiled. "If you will excuse us, we have a few more rounds to make. It was lovely meeting you, Elizabeth, dear."

"You as well, your Ladyship. And you, my Lord." Lizzie nodded.

"Darcy, I like her. Save me a dance, young lady, I would like to be better acquainted." Lord Matlock said and they walked off.

"That was perfect, my love." Will smiled at her. "Would you care to dance?"

"Please, I don't think I can meet anyone else for at least ten minutes." Lizzie grinned and they made their way to the dance floor, where they stayed for quite a while. She danced with Richard once and Charles, but spent the rest of the evening with Darcy.

"Can I cut in?" Lord Matlock asked.

Lizzie nodded so Will released her and smiled at his uncle. "Play nice. Does Aunt Rose wish to dance?"

"No, one of her friend's is having some sort of drama with her daughter." Andrew shrugged. "If you can find her, she might."

Will settled for getting a drink and watching Lizzie as she charmed his Uncle.

"She's a fine one, there, Darcy." A slurred voice said from behind him.

Darcy didn't even have to look to know the voice belonged to John Hurst. He made sure he kept his voice tight and even. "John, always a pleasure."

"Is that the tart Bennet girl Caroline is always blathering about? I see the attraction; even I'd want a piece of that. Is she good?" Hurst asked.

"John, I do believe you are drunk. Let me take you back to your wife and I trust you will not insult a lady like Miss Bennet in that manner again." Will took the man's arm and led him forcibly back to his wife. "Mrs. Hurst, control your husbands tongue or take him home."

Louisa, who was looking much healthier since she'd gained about ten pounds, sighed. "For heaven's sake, John, can't you go one party without being so pissed you insult someone? Thank you for retuning him, we will be leaving soon. I apologize."

"Oh Will." Caroline gushed, her boney, claw-like fingers latching on to his arms. "I knew you weren't really thinking about bringing that tramp Eliza Bennet into our set. When will the tabloids stop making up these vicious rumors?"

"Will, there you are." Lord Andrew smiled, walking over to the group with Lizzie. "You will need to hold on to this one. She is too pretty and too funny for any single man to pass up. Thank you, Lizzie, for the dance."

Lizzie nodded. "Thank you, Lord Andrew. And name the date, Will and I would be happy to come to dinner."

"Of course. Good evening." Andrew said to the group and walked off.

Caroline's jaw hit the floor and Darcy pried himself loose from her fingers. "We are dining with my Aunt and Uncle then?"

"At some point. They want to get to know me better and I would love to get to know them." Lizzie grinned. "Caroline, Louisa, you are both looking very lovely this evening. Mr. Hurst, I do hope you are enjoying yourself."

"Not a word." Louisa muttered to her husband. "Thank you, Elizabeth. Excuse us, John is not feeling well. We will see you all later."

"Well, I believe we have stayed long enough. Ready to go, darling?" Will asked.

"Am I ever." Lizzie nodded. "Have a good evening, Caroline."

It wasn't very nice of her, but Lizzie thoroughly enjoyed the look of pure fury and disbelief that had Caroline's gaunt face frozen in a queer sort of scowling smile. Maybe now Caroline could finally give up and get on with her own life.

They climbed into the car and Lizzie practically collapsed in the seat. "I am exhausted. But that was a pleasant evening."

"It's more fun than I've ever had at one of these events." Will grinned. "And can I say you showed great restraint when dealing with Caroline. Everyone loved you, so bravo, my Lizzie."

"I was trying very hard not to cause a scene." Lizzie laughed. "Is it just me or does Louisa look like she's finally eating again?"

"According to Charles, she's very close to divorcing Hurst. Jane talked her into seeing a therapist and it has really done wonders for Louisa. Now if we could only get Caroline…"

"I think Caroline needs more than just a therapist, she needs an intervention. There isn't a gram of fat on her body, she's getting dangerously skinny."

"Lets not talk about the Bingley sisters. I want to talk about something much more entertaining." Will smiled. "Like the special guests Georgiana requested for her birthday."

"Who?"  
"Your Aunt and Uncle and cousins. Your sister will be driving up with Charles in time for the birthday party but the Gardiners will be at Pemberley for a week."

Lizzie threw her arms around him and kissed him. "You are a good man, Will Darcy, no matter what anyone says."

"I'm pretty sure the only one who ever said I wasn't nice was you." He teased. "Now, dawn at Pemberley is the best time of day, so I want to show you how beautiful my home can be. I suggest a nap, we have a three hour car ride ahead of us."

"Sounds like a plan." She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. Within a few minutes, she had dozed off. Will couldn't sleep, his nerves were growing the closer they got to Pemberley. Finally, the sky was tuning from light grey to pink and they were getting close to home.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 13

"Lizzie, wake up." Will shook her gently.

Lizzie blinked, stretched, and looked out of the window as the house came into view. "If I have to be up, at least I get to look at something truly beautiful."

They pulled up and Will got out and helped her out of the car. "I want to show you something." He grinned and led her through the house, and to the back gardens. The sun peaking out over the horizon bathed Pemberley in golden light. Will had the gardener turn on the lights and the fountains and in the soft pink of the morning, it looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"You were right, this is the most beautiful time of day." Lizzie grinned, walking over to the railing to get a better look.

Will smiled, gazing at her. Lizzie looked like something out of a painting, standing at the railing, the embroidery of her gown catching the light and making her dress shine, a contented smile on her face and the sky a brilliant backdrop of gold and purple. Will walked over to join her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"My parents used to have breakfast on my mother's balcony ever Tuesday at sunrise when the weather permitted it. My mother didn't have to be up that early, but my father did because after breakfast he would ride the property with Thomas Wickham. They'd talk to the farmers and discuss improvements, settle any disputes or issues that cropped up. And though my father loved this estate, he told me that the best part of his week was waking up and sharing such a beautiful moment with his best friend."

"They must have really loved each other." Lizzie sighed dreamily. "I bet the view from the balcony is incredible."

"I guess we'll have to find out. I've never seen it from the balcony. I wanted to wait until I could share it with someone like my parents did." Will touched her cheek gently, and then took her hands. "You, my darling Elizabeth, are the most incredible woman I have ever met. You are the other half of my soul and I never wish to be parted –"

Will was cut off by his mobile ringing. He jumped, a little startled.

Lizzie bit her lip, grinning. She had the distinct feeling that Will had been in the process of proposing, so she was incredibly happy. The mobile, though it had initially startled her, was rather funny. It was probably Rick calling to congratulate them or something. Will shook his head and pulled out his mobile to turn it off. "Wait…it's your sister."

"Jane?" Lizzie looked confused. "What is she doing calling your phone at this hour?"

Will shrugged and answered. "Jane?"

"Will, thank God. Does Lizzie not have her cell phone?" Jane's voice, usually so serene, sounded panicked.

"It must be in her luggage." Will sighed. "Is everything okay?"

"No." Now Jane really didn't sound like herself. "Everything is very not okay. I need to talk to Lizzie right away."

Will handed the phone to Elizabeth. "Janie?"

"Oh Lizzie! I'm so sorry to do this to you but this is an emergency. Lydia is missing." Jane explained, distressed.

"She probably just snuck out again with Maria." Lizzie sighed, she was going to _kill_ Lydia.

"No, she went with the Forsters to Brighton for a concert she and Becky Forster wanted to see. The Colonel called Papa when he realized Lydia had snuck out." Jane explained.

"So she's running around Brighton alone?"

"If only that were the case. She left a note. She has run off with George Wickham. Her note said that they were running off to Paris together but Colonel Forster doesn't think they got further than London."

Lizzie gripped the railing for support and felt Will's arms snake around her waist, holding her tight. "She ran off…are you sure?"

"Positive. Mama has had to be sedated, the police are questioning Kitty and Mary and Papa is in his library on the phone with every contact he's ever had. I hate to do this, Lizzie, but I need you." Jane's voice waivered.

"We'll get her back, Janey. I'll see you soon, okay?" Lizzie hung up the phone and turned around and buried her face in Will's chest, trying to contain her sobs.

"Elizabeth? What's happened –" again Darcy was interrupted by his mobile. "Darcy."

"Ah, your Lordship." A smooth voice said.

"Wickham." Will practically snarled.

"I'm sure the news is on its way to you that the youngest Bennet girl ran off with me. For now, she is a willing participant, but I have no intention of letting her go unless my demands are met."

"The police will find you, Wickham."

Wickham laughed. "Maybe, but you better hope they do so quickly. See, Miss Lydia is a bit more…open than her sisters. I, quite easily, got her to participate in a little video with me."

Darcy's stomach gave a lurch. "You are a sick bastard, you know that?"

"Hmm." Wickham ignored the insult. "I don't know if you've noticed, but your precious Elizabeth and Lydia favor each other. That made it very easy to edit the video in such a way – and add a few sound effects – that makes it seem like the video is of Lizzie and myself. If you don't want that video to go viral, you'll follow my instructions."

Will listened as Wickham rattled off his demands, which really weren't surprising: four million pounds transferred to an off-shore bank account and no police involvement.

"What a horrible man." Lizzie said, having overhead the entire conversation. "Will, I have to go home, or at least back to London so I can help with the search."

"I promise to get you to Longbourn, but first we need to tell your Aunt and Uncle and you need a few more hours of sleep and some breakfast." Darcy said.

"Will, if he releases that video, you're ruined. I'm ruined. We would be social pariahs. I can't let that happen to you."

"It won't. And even if it does get out, I'll buy us a private island and we can move there and start our own tribe."

"Will, I am serious."

"I know darling." Will touched her cheek gently. "You've also barely slept in twenty four hours. So lets get you inside, you get two or three hours of rest, and I'll send everyone to Longbourn in a helicopter at a more decent hour of the morning." He kissed her forehead. "Elizabeth, I love you, no matter what happens."

Margaret Gardiner sighed as she leaned against the wall and watched her niece sleep. In his room, Will Darcy paced as he talked on his mobile. She could se him because the wall between the two rooms had been left wide open. Maggie sat on the bed gentle and Lizzie yawned.

"Aunt Maggie?" She asked, groggy.

"Good morning, dear. Your Uncle has already left for London and we will be taking a helicopter back to Longbourn in about an hour. That young man of yours has been on his mobile for two hours straight, I think."

Lizzie sighed. "So, no chance this thing with Lydia was just a nightmare?"

"I'm sorry, darling." Maggie shook her head. "Now, get up and go convince Darcy to get some rest. He's going to fall asleep standing up at this rate. I know we are all concerned about Lydia, but this is a bit excessive for _your_ boyfriend."

"Will grew up with Wickham, he knew what kind of person he was. He told me some things and Jane and I thought it was best not to spread it around because he seemed like he was trying to start over and it wouldn't be fair. And Will asked me to keep the details of his dealings with Wickham private. So if he's feeling any of the guilt I am, he probably blames himself entirely." Lizzie explained.

"Completely ridiculous, the lot of you." Maggie sighed. "Jane still thinks its all a misunderstanding, you and Darcy are blaming yourself, your father his blaming himself, and no one is putting the blame where it lies: on Lydia and Wickham. More on his part, I think, but she has never practiced good sense or good judgment. I'll let you get ready. And try and get him to sleep."

Lizzie nodded and her aunt left. What a nightmare! And to make mattes worse, she was pretty sure Jane's phone call had interrupted a very beautiful proposal. Her answer would have been yes, but now, if that video got out, she couldn't in good conscience let him marry her. Lizzie sighed again and climbed out of bed, throwing on his sweatshirt and padding over to his room.

"Will, darling, you look exhausted. You need to rest." Lizzie said, stopping him from dialing. "Thank you for taking such good care of my family."

"I'll rest later. Richard is driving back to London so I'll sleep then." Will shrugged, rubbing his tired eyes. "In situations like this, I know how important the first few hours are."

Lizzie nodded, he was clearly remembering Georgiana's ordeal with Wickham. "You are going to leave your sister here by herself?"

"Her friends will be coming in later this morning. I've left her a note explaining that the Gardiners had a family emergency and that we were all helping them get back to London. I promised Richard and I would be back in time for her birthday dinner Sunday night and I promised you would try."

"Good. Hide the truth from her if you can. It is bad enough you feel guilty about any of this, there is no sense in making her relive painful memories as well." Lizzie nodded. "And _no one_ needs to find out about that video. Ever."

"Agreed." Will kissed her gently. "You should get ready my love. I hate to let you go but I know your family needs you."

"I love you even more for understanding that. Once I get things settled at the house, Jane and I will come up to London to help with the search. I am also going to text Rick and make sure that you get a few hours rest in the car."

"I promise." He nodded.

Lizzie looked at her dress hanging in the closet and sighed. If they made it through this, she'd likely be moving in before she had a chance to wear it again. If they didn't make it, well, she would never have a reason to wear it again. The dress might as well say here. Everything else was still packed other than a few toiletries, so getting ready was quick, if nothing else. Will carried her bag and she met the Gardiners at the front door.

"Hold a moment!" Mrs. Reynolds ran out with two large shopping bags. "I just can't let you all go off without a proper breakfast."

While the Gardiners were busy loading the food and themselves into the helicopter, Lizzie pulled out a gift bag and handed it to Will. "Give this to Georgiana if I don't make it back."

"I will." He nodded. "Call me the minute you get to Longbourn."

"No. You promised me you would be asleep then." Lizzie shook her head.

"Elizabeth –"

"Don't you full-name me, Fitzwilliam. I'll call Rick and he can let you know the minute you wake up. Deal?"

Will scowled. "Fine."

"I love you, even when you are petulant." Lizzie sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He chuckled at that and kissed her gently. "Safe trip, Love."

Jane was waiting with a car at Netherfield where the helicopter had landed. The trip had been _very_ quick and Lizzie decided she much preferred it to a car. As soon as she could, Lizzie wrapped her sister up in a hug.

"Any developments?" Maggie asked.

"It does seem like Lydia went willingly, and he's made no demands so at least it isn't a kidnapping." Jane explained.

"We need to talk in private when we get home." Lizzie sighed. "What's being done?"

"Papa has called a few friends from the old days, and Uncle Edward is in London coordinating the search with a few of those friends. Papa is so worried. I think he blames himself." Jane replied.

"Of course he does. Just like I'm sure you blame yourself for convincing Lizzie not to warn people about Wickham. Like Lizzie blames herself for not telling the family what she knows and Darcy blames himself for not exposing the man. Does no one want to blame Lydia and Wickham aside from me?" Maggie asked.

"According to Mum, it is Colonel and Mrs. Forsters fault for not watching her closer." Jane cracked a small smile.

Maggie threw up her hands. "This is why Lydia is the way she is. She has never once suffered the consequence of her own actions because we all place the blame somewhere else."

"You are right. As much as it pains me to say it, anything that happens to her, it'll be her own fault. And his. But no one else's." Lizzie agreed.

Once they were home, Lizzie dragged Jane and their father into his study.

"Wickham has made demands." Lizzie said.

"What! When?" Jane exclaimed.

"He called Will this morning. Lydia went with him willingly, but he isn't above keeping her by force, though he doesn't think he'll have to." Lizzie paused. "He video-taped the two of them having sex and recorded himself saying my name. With poor lighting and Lydia and I favoring each other…"

Mr. Bennet sat in his chair and seemed to be on the verge of losing it. "He…my little girl…video…"

"That's…" Jane shook her head. "That's terrible."

"He wants four million pounds wired to an offshore account and if he doesn't get it, he'll make the video public." Lizzie explained.

"That would ruin your reputation." Jane gasped. "And Will's, And even if it did come out eventually that it was a fake, the damage would be done."

"So my boyfriend – who should have been my fiancé if it weren't for Lydia's ill-timed antics – is in London getting the funds together and trying to find that hideous snake of a man." Lizzie took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger.

"He's going to pay?" Jane asked.

"He shouldn't." Mr. Bennet finally spoke. "Men like that, he'll just ask for more. And it's all my fault…"

"No it isn't Papa." Jane said soothingly. "You need to rest."

"I need to get a grip." Mr. Bennet sighed. "I've got some more calls to make to help your Uncle, then I will head to London myself to find my wayward daughter."

"Well, how about Jane and I head back to London with Aunt Maggie and look for you? Mary and Kitty can keep Mum calm and you can sort of coordinate the search from here?" Lizzie suggested, Mr. Bennet was not looking good. "Papa, I'm worried about your health."

"I know." He sighed and grabbed one of each of their hands. "You will keep me posted. I am only glad I have two sensible daughters out of five."

"Thanks Papa." Jane smiled.

"Make sure you see your mother and me before you leave."

"We will." Lizzie kissed his cheek. "We'll find her, Papa. I promise."


	14. Chapter 14

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 14

After saying goodbye to their parents, the girls left for London and were silent for almost half the trip.

"That was…" Lizzie finally broke the silence. "She's snapped."

"Mum is just worried, and, like everyone else she feels guilty." Jane replied. "But I am glad the Doctor has provided her those sedatives."

"Mum is the only one who _doesn't_ feel guilty about all this. She spent the whole time she was lucid cursing Lydia for what she was doing to her nerves." Lizzie shook her head. "Until now, I really thought the nerve thing wasn't real…"

Jane shuddered. "No, it's very, very real. Can you imagine if she knew about the video and the ransom?"

"No and I don't want to." Lizzie said, trying to forget her mother in hysterics. "Distract me."

"Well, what, exactly, did my ill-timed phone call interrupt?" Jane asked.

"We were at Pemberley after the ball because Will said I had to see the house at dawn. Jane, it was _breathtaking_. I mean, the sky was purple and pink and the house looked like it was made of gold. So there we are, standing on the back porch, looking out at the gardens and he was saying these really cute, romantic things…"

"Like?" Jane prompted.

"Like how his parents used to eat breakfast and watch the sunrise together once a week and how his father said that was the highlight of his week. I said the balcony would be the perfect place to watch the sunrise, the view must be amazing. And then Will says we'll have to check it out because he's been waiting to share that view with someone the way his parents did." Lizzie recounted.

"That's so cute!" Jane couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips.

"So then he told me I was his soul mate and he loved me and…"

"And what?" Jane was on the edge of her seat.

"And then you called!" Lizzie sighed.

"I am so, so, so, sorry!" Jane exclaimed. "If I had known, I would have waited ten minutes."

"There is a chance he wasn't proposing." Lizzie pointed out.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Of course he was. Lizzie, I am so sorry."  
Lizzie shrugged. "If this video gets released, I'll be glad he didn't propose because then I will only be breaking up with my boyfriend, not breaking an engagement. I don't know that I will be strong enough to break it off if I have to as it is."

"You won't have to. You and Will are going to get married and live happily ever after. I just know it."

Charles sighed, looking at the map. "I can't find him. He hasn't left enough of a paper trail for Mr. Bennet's connections and to be quite honest, his connections are better than mine and probably the police."

"They must have paid cash for everything, my buddy in intelligence flagged their cards but so far, no luck." Richard added. "But finding someone like Wickham in the city is going to be next to impossible if he doesn't slip up. There are too many people and too many places to hide."

"He's more motivated than usual. He's not just running from us, he's running from a dozen creditors too." Darcy sighed. "Some of whole are less-than-legal and very dangerous. No, Wickham is a professional at self-preservation, we can't wait for him to make a mistake."

"But maybe we can track down some of his past mistakes." Richard said, inspired. "We know a few of his past associates we can talk to."

"Mrs. Younge." Darcy nodded. "Let's get her last-known address."

"I can get it." Richard nodded, picking up his phone.

"Darce, are you sure you don't want to bring in the authorities?" Charles asked. "I know we have a lot of resources, but we will have to call the police eventually."

"I want as few people to know about that video as possible." Will shook his head. "According to Colonel Forster, they have more than enough to put him away for a long time from Lydia's phone records and testimony from Lt. Denny, Rebecca Forster, and Kitty. Plus, Lydia's own diary details drug use and alcohol. If this lead doesn't pan out, I promise, I will involve the authorities."

Richard walked back over to them. "I got it. Younge runs a no-tell-motel in Newham. Shall we pay a visit?"

Mrs. Younge's hotel was called "The Crash Inn". The marginally clever name was really its only saving grace. It was dingy and seemed to house a crowd of unsavory people. It was pay by the hour, day, week, or month kind of place but Will suspected most of her tenants were paying the hourly rate.

The years, though it had only been a few, had not been kind to Mrs. Younge. She had worked for Darcy as Georgiana's travel companion/personal assistant/manager during a particularly grueling time in her life, musically. Darcy and Richard had scoured England looking for the perfect person. Mrs. Olivia Younge was a widow with no children who had been a nanny for two different families over an eighteen-year span. Her references were glowing, her credit report was immaculate, and her background check came back clean. In her interview, she appeared to be a modest, but striking woman in her late fifties. She had oozed confidence and had even quoted scripture. Having done more than their due diligence, Will and Richard hired her. For months, she was a model employee and Georgiana was very fond of her. They found out later that not only was Mrs. Younge giving George Wickham unrestricted access to Georgiana, she was also embezzling. In the end, Younge was dismissed and Darcy didn't press charges. Rick had some blackmail on Younge to ensure her silence: she wasn't the real Olivia Younge.

"We need a moment, Mrs. Younge." Richard said, approaching her. "In private."

"I'm busy, come back later." She snapped, not wanting anything to do with the two men.

"Now, now, in memory of our friend _Edith_ _Winslow_, I'm sure you can spare a moment." Rick kept his voice low but it had a threatening edge.

Mrs. Younge blanched. The real Olivia Younge had been a well-respected nanny and widow. When Olivia Younge died of cancer, her caretaker, the repeat-offender Edith Winslow, took on the identity of Olivia Younge. This freed Edith from massive debts and at least one outstanding warrant.

"Come into the back." She nodded and led them into a dumpy office. "What do you want?"

"Wickham." Darcy said simply.

"Ain't seen him." She shrugged.

Rick slapped a stack of bills on the table. "Try again, Edith. If your information is good, you keep the money and we keep your secret. If it is bad…well, how fast would your creditors take over this establishment? How fast would the police come to arrest you?"

The old woman sighed. "He came here with some bird. She looked too young so I gave him some money and told him he was borrowing trouble with a young thing like that. I told him to ditch her at the mall or something or at least hide out in Hackney at the Red Bear. They don't ask too many questions."

"How much did you give him?" Darcy asked.

"Fifty pounds."

"When was this?" Richard pressed.

"Not even two days ago, yet."

Richard nodded and walked out. Darcy laid a few more bills on the table. "If you learn anything else…" He let the suggestion hand in the air and walked off.

"I hope the boys are having better luck than us." Lizzie sighed, putting the picture of Lydia away. They had checked everywhere that Lydia liked to go and no one had seen her.

"I just don't understand." Jane said softly. "Why would anyone do this?"

Lizzie was about to respond when her mobile went off. "Hello?"

"I need you both to come home. Your Uncle is heading out with Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam and an inspector. They found her." Margaret Gardiner said.

"Where are they going?" Lizzie asked.

"Oh no, young lady. You come straight here." Margaret ordered. "I'm going to need you both. Darcy saw Lydia already, she's high as a kite and hysterical. It's all hands on deck so get back here."

"Yes Aunt Maggie." Lizzie said and hung up the phone.

"They found her?" Jane asked.

"Yes. Aunt Maggie wants us home. Apparently, Lydia is a mess." Lizzie replied.

Jane sighed. "Lets hurry back. I'm sure Aunt Maggie needs us."

Lizzie paced. She checked her mobile. And then she paced some more.

"Lizzie dear, come and have some tea." Maggie said.

"Why does everyone do that? Does tea have some magic powers that help in a crisis?" Lizzie demanded. "I don't want any damn tea!"  
"Lizzie!" Jane exclaimed, shocked.

"Jane." Charles shook his head at her. "I've got this." Charles walked over to Lizzie. "You want to help, right? You want to be with Will?"

"Yes." Elizabeth whispered.

"I get it. I really do. But Darcy is probably doing some intense negotiations right now and he needs to focus." Charles explained softly. "He needs to now you are safe. If he had to worry about you, he wouldn't be able to focus and wouldn't be able to negotiate with Wickham. I know how you are feeling, I would like nothing better than to be there, supporting them, but they don't need me. And snapping at your family because you're scared? It doesn't help."

"I'm sorry." Lizzie sighed. "I just…what if Wickham hurts him?"

"He won't. Wickham isn't stupid. He knows that if he lets her go and behaves himself he probably won't be charged with kidnapping." Charles assured her. "The moment he hurts anyone, that good grace is over and the authorities will take him down."

"I think I'm going to go outside for a while and clear my head. I promise not to leave." Lizzie nodded.

Nearly an hour later, Mr. Gardiner's car pulled up and he and Rick helped Lydia out. She was a mess. It looked like she hadn't showered in days, her clothes were dirty, one of her heels was broken and she was drunk or high or both.

"Aunt Maggie! They're back!" Lizzie called into the house.

It took all three women two hours to clean Lydia up and get her dressed and the combined strength of Charles, Mr. Gardiner and Rick to get her in the car to go to the hospital. Will still had not made it back to the Gardiner's house. Richard told Lizzie that Darcy had something personal to take care of with Wickham, but surely that couldn't take as long as it had.

"Lizzie, you stay here. Someone needs to be here when that poor man comes back and I think he'd prefer you." Maggie instructed as the rest of the family got ready to go to the hospital.

"Shouldn't he be back by now?" Lizzie asked.

"Liz, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Knowing Darcy, he's probably waiting until Wickham is through booking at the police station." Rick assured her.

Lizzie began pacing again, until finally she saw his car drive up and park in front of the house. She was at his side the minute he climbed out of the car. Will pulled her towards himself and just held her.

"Never do that to me again, Will." Lizzie said, burying her face in his chest. "I was so worried."

"I'm sorry, darling. At least, now it is over." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I had to take Wickham to my lawyer's office. That's what took so long."

"Why?"

"We made a deal. My lawyer has the original tape in a safe deposit box. I don't testify that Wickham threatened to keep Lydia by force and he never speaks of the video. If he does, the tape goes to the police with an anonymous note explaining how old Lydia was at the time and explaining who filmed it."

"Will he even go to jail, then?" Lizzie asked, concerned.

"They have him on multiple charges. He'll go away for a long time, just not for life, which is what he will get if I testify." Will explained.

"So we're done? Wickham isn't going to be a problem anymore?"

"We're done, darling." Will smiled. "This little experience has taught me something."  
He took her hands and dropped down to one knee. "I thought it mattered where I said this and I had a whole speech planned, but, to quote the bard, 'the course of love never did run smooth'. Lizzie, you are the best part of my life. I love you and for the rest of my life, I never want to be parted from you. Would you do me the honor of accepting my hand in marriage?"

"Yes. Absolutely yes." Lizzie nodded, crying.

Will slipped the beautiful rose cut diamond ring on her finger. Harriet had done beautiful work, the ring was now stronger than before but retained the historic, delicate look that made it so special. "I know you like smaller things, but this has graced the left hand of Darcy women for generations. It's kind of our family lucky charm." He smiled, standing, a few tears glistening in his eyes. "I promise to spend every day trying to make you has happy as you make me."

Lizzie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Was this why we went to Pemberley at dawn?"

"Yes." Will laughed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "And I've been waiting ever since for an appropriate moment to put that ring on your finger. Lets get inside before someone calls the paparazzi."

They sat together on the couch, Lizzie leaning against him and Will had his arm around her. Will smiled at her. "You know, we have my aunt to thank for this."

Lizzie looked confused. "Which one? Not…Lady Catherine?"

"Yes. I said I wouldn't propose until you told me you were ready. So the other day, she comes barging into the house and tells me of your…encounter. So she's ranting about you and told me that when she tried to get you to promise never to marry me, you told her you would marry me tomorrow if I asked. I took that as my sign. Without her, I wouldn't have known how ready you were."

Lizzie laughed. "I think we should leave that part out when we tell her."

Darcy grimaced. "I wasn't planning on telling her anytime soon."

"We will worry about that later. For now, darling future husband, you need to rest."

Will woke up warm and toasty, his arms wrapped around Lizzie and her head on his chest. He could hear one of their mobiles buzzing, but the couch was too soft and he was too comfortable to care. But when it went off a second and then third time, he finally found the motivation to answer.

"Hello?" He whispered, hoping he wouldn't disturb Lizzie, whose beautiful face was looking serene and peaceful in the soft firelight.

"Will! I've called you both five times1" Jane said, exasperated.

"We were asleep. Lizzie still is." Will grumbled. "How is Lydia?"

"Crashing from her high, emotional, and pregnant." Jane replied. "Look, just get here when you can. My father is on his way and Lizzie is really the best at talking to him. This is not going to be easy for any of us to deal with, least of all Papa."

"We'll be there soon." Will sighed and hung up.

Lizzie moved slightly. "I am awake, I just don't want to get up. Can we just…elope? I rather like waking up to you."

"You don't want a big wedding?" He asked.

"No. I know we probably need to have one for propriety's sake, but…I like small. And honestly, the part I care about is the marriage, not so much the wedding." Lizzie explained.

"We'll discuss it after we tell everyone." Darcy nodded. "For now, we need to get up. Did you hear Jane?"

"Yes. My baby sister is finally going to face the consequences of her actions. I am just sad another human being must pay the price with her." She sighed. "What time is it?"

"About four thirty." Will looked at his phone. "If we leave now, its likely we won't be spotted."

Mrs. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet were the only ones at the hospital when they arrived.

Maggie Gardiner wrapped Darcy in a hug. "Thank you, young man, for all you have done."

Will shook his head. "It was my fault to begin with. You owe me nothing. I am only sorry that this is not all over yet."

"You cannot force a person to have good sense, Darcy." Maggie shrugged. "Now, do the two of you have something to tell us?"

"I don't mean to take the focus off Lydia, but…" Lizzie held up her left hand.

"My dear child, you take as much focus as you want." Mr. Bennet hugged her and kissed her forehead. "From what Kitty has said, Lydia wasn't coerced into anything an Wickham may not be the father. She's made her bed, she has to lie in it."

"Papa…"

"No. I have allowed my children to run unchecked and I must deal with the results. You and Jane deserve to go on with your lives without dealing with your younger sister's nonsense. I am very happy for you, my dear."

"Thank you Papa." Lizzie smiled at him.

Mr. Bennet shook Darcy's hand. "Young man, we've already have a nice long talk so you know what I expect of you."

"Yes sir." Will nodded. "You can count on me."

"After what I've heard, I know I can. Now. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Jane and Charles. You need to get out of here, get some rest, some breakfast and you can worry about Lydia all you want anywhere but here."

"You are making us leave? Why?" Lizzie looked at her father, confused.

"You want the press asking you why you are at the hospital before dawn or have one of them notice the ring? Lydia doesn't need any more attention and you should have a chance to tell the people you love about the engagement before the public knows." Mr. Bennet smiled. "Like Lydia, it is time for me to face the consequences of my actions, or my inactions."

"Your father is right. I know it is still early and you take precautions but…go home. Have some peace. Tell the rest of the family the good news." Maggie took Lizzie's hand. "Jane will need some good news. Lizzie."

Lizzie was silently contemplative as they walked out of the hospital and got into the car.

"You are oddly quiet, love." He pointed out as he started the engine.

"I just…is it always going to be like this?" Lizzie turned to look at him. "Not being able to see my baby sister in the hospital because of the press?"  
"No. I think your father is trying to protect you – protect us. If we stay clear, the press doesn't need to find out _why_ Lydia is in the hospital. Were it a normal situation, like a surgery or baby or something, your father wouldn't care about the press." Will took her hand. "That is the downside to money and a title."

"Yes." Lizzie sighed. "Our wedding will be a zoo."

"I'll make you a deal, Darling. We plan a big, public wedding. Big enough that no one will think we aren't doing the thing properly. If it all gets too much, you and I elope and spend two or three weeks on a fantastic honeymoon." He smiled at her. "Besides, we have time. You've still got another year of school to do."

Lizzie grinned. "And we can take notes at Jane's wedding on what not to do, how to handle my mother, and strategies that work with limiting the craziness of my siblings."

"No borrowing ideas?" Will asked.

"Ha, no. Jane wants a big, white wedding with a big elegant dress and big elegant centerpieces and a black-tie reception with a live band a white-glove service. You know, dinner at Rosings style."

Will laughed. "I think your sister has infinitely more taste than my aunt!"

"Yes, but what of my mother? Remember, she gets to take part in the planning as well. And then Caroline and Louisa will throw in their two cents. Do you picture Jane telling _anyone_ 'no'?" Lizzie asked.

"Jane? No." Will shook his head. "Between the two of them, I don't know who will win any arguments. They are both so agreeable, the winner will be the one who agrees last I guess."

"You don't picture our fights going quite so well?"

"I hope we don't have many, but I realize we will have some. But no, I think whatever arguments we have will be…heated." Will smirked at her. "But I imagine the process of making up will also be…heated."

Lizzie blushed a little, and avoided his eyes, but refused to give in to her momentary embarrassment. "I guess we'll just have to get into an argument once we're married to test it out."

Will squeezed her hand and laughed. "I guess we shall."

They rode in comfortable silence for a moment. "Will?"

"Yes darling?"

"I'm hungry."

"Call Bingley, tell him to meet us at our old favorite breakfast place." Darcy instructed. "I swear woman, for as small as you are, you sure need to be fed a lot."

Lizzie hit him playfully. "I'm almost sorry I taught you to tease. And for the record, for someone as fit as you are, you sure finish a lot of my meals!" They laughed together and Lizzie dialed Charles's mobile.

"Chuck. You still awake?" Lizzie asked.

"Absolutely, Lizard dear." Charles answered. "Jane and I are just heading to breakfast."

"Good, Will wanted to see if you two wanted to meet up at some place you guys used to eat. Will also said you would understand the vague, not remotely specific message." Lizzie said.

"Believe it or not, I do understand. That's where Jane and I are headed. Want us to save you guys a seat?" Charles asked.

"Yes please. See you soon." Lizzie smiled and hung up.

The café was a dingy-looking 24-hour diner called "Loretta's" but with most of the neon letters out, it said "o et a's".

"Well, no one would think to look for you here, that's for sure." Lizzie remarked as they made their way into the restaurant.

"No one will recognize _us_. Like it or not, Liz, you're famous now." Will smiled.

Jane and Charles waved at them from a booth and the couple sat down. Lizzie was about to say something when Jane spoke up. "Oh no, Lizzie Bennet, no small talk until I see the rock." She stared expectantly at her sister.

Lizzie grinned and stuck out her left hand. True, the ring was three times the size that she would normally have wanted, but its age and delicacy and story made her love the ring more than any jewelry she owned.

"You realize this glacier is going to go about a _day_ before someone notices it." Charles pointed out. "Congratulations, brother."

"Thanks, brother." Will smiled. "We just won't talk to the press."  
"Any ideas on a date?" Charles asked.

"We've been engaged for like, five hours Chuck." Lizzie pointed out.

"I don't know, February 1st is kind of our anniversary." Darcy smiled. "We wouldn't tell anyone that is the real date, but that could work."

"Except I'll be knee deep in a thesis then." Lizzie sighed.

"Right." Will nodded. "So, what do you think your Dad will do with Lydia?"

"I think he'd like to send her to a convent." Lizzie said. "But since she's…you know, that's out."

"He will make her get a job to help support the child. She and Kitty will probably be under house arrest." Jane sighed. "Perhaps it will be good for both of them."


	15. Chapter 15

Thank you all you kind readers for 1. reviewing and 2. sticking with me. I know it's been a while since I last updated. Hopefully I will be going a little faster, but full time job + grad school makes for a crazy schedule.

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 15

In what seemed like a day, June had gone and July was in full swing. The frenzy surrounding Jane and Charles was insane, and Lizzie and Darcy were just as bad. The endless speculation about whether or not they were engaged was fueled by the ring and also by the couple's refusal to speak to the press at all. It was hectic and stressful and exhilarating as the summer flew by at a frantic pace. The Bennet household was no less frantic, between the two weddings and Lydia's pregnancy; it was more that a little crazy.

"Lydia, come on!" Lizzie knocked on the door. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes, with or without you."

"No! I'm not coming out. This is all your fault, Lizzie!" Lydia screamed.

"You have no one to blame but yourself, Lydia!" Lizzie yelled back.

Jane came over to the door. "Lizzie, darling, that is probably not the best method."

"You do it then. I'm over her nonsense." Lizzie threw up her hands.

Jane knocked at the door quietly, "Lydia dear, you know you have the most knowledge of fashion of anyone in this house. I should never be able to choose a gown if you are not there, darling. Nor would Lizzie. I know you are angry right now, but surely you can set it aside to help Lizzie pick a dress designer and consult with us on the designs? We would both be lost without you."

Lydia opened the door and poked her head out, grinning. "Be ready in ten minutes."

"How do you do that?" Elizabeth asked as they made their way downstairs.

"Lizzie, she really is feeling tremendous guilt, but you know our Lydia, that guilt makes her lash out." Jane smiled. "Plus she is very hormonal right now. You just have to be more patient with her."

"I don't have patience." Lizzie sighed. "That's why I have you. How am I ever going to survive a fight with Darcy without you?"

"You survive fights with him all the time without me. Sometimes I think you two enjoy bating each other." Jane rolled her eyes. "And you know I will always be there for you, no matter what."

"I know. And if you ever find Charles too agreeable, you can always come spend time with me." Lizzie grinned at her sister.

"I don't know why you think you aren't agreeable, Lizzie." Jane laughed. "So, when are you and Will going public about the engagement?"

"Can you imagine me trying to get back to school with that sort of announcement? I'd never manage it. We will work something out, I'm just not sure what."

Lane looked at her sister thoughtfully. "Have you considered not going back to school this semester?"

"I…" Lizzie opened her mouth to answer and then closed it again. "I don't know. I've never thought about it."

"Perhaps you should." Jane suggested. "Then you can spend the year getting acquainted with your new duties, planning the wedding, and dealing with the press won't be as stressful."

Lizzie sat down on the sofa, taking it all in. "Jane…I have to think of something. I can't do it."

"Do what?"

"Marriage. School. Be a Countess. Take your pick." Lizzie replied. "I'm so stressed I think I'm getting paranoid."

"Paranoid?" Jane asked, confused.

"I keep getting this feeling that I'm being followed.

Jane smiled and patted her sister's hand. "You are being followed. By the press. You aren't paranoid; you probably just have a very determined paparazzo on your tail. You shouldn't let any of this stress you out. You won't be getting married for some time yet, and there is no prize for being the most involved Lady. It's just a title."

"For you. Mine comes with an _estate_. Then there are expectations from his friends and his family. You are kind, graceful, and beautiful, you are universally beloved. Me? Not so much." Lizzie lay back against the couch.

"You have no reason to fear the judgment of others. You, dear sister, are caring, elegant, and passionate. Everyone is going to love you, even Lady Catherine, once she adjusts to the idea." Jane's mobile beeped, notifying her that the car was here. "We will finish this conversation later."

The ride to London was entertaining. All five Bennet sisters, plus Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner made their way to the studio of Maria Dare, who would be designing both Jane and Lizzie's wedding gowns, though they were only working on Jane's today.

"Mary, darling, are you wearing makeup?" Mrs. Gardiner asked the middle Bennet girl.

"Y-Y-Yes." Mary nodded. "Did I do it wrong?"

"No dear, it looks very pretty." Mrs. Gardiner smiled.

"It is high time she starts. How she ever expects to catch a husband looking like she doesn't care is beyond me!" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed.

Lizzie shook her head at her mother. "Mary, Will said he truly fell in love with me when he saw me standing in the barn after they had pulled me out of the blizzard. I was in my running gear, my hair was a mess from being in that hat and I was sweaty. Anyone who is truly worth your time will love you on the inside first and foremost. A beautiful soul makes any woman look gorgeous, no matter what they are wearing or not wearing."

"Come now Lizzie, everyone likes a present with ribbons and fancy paper better." Mrs. Bennet argued.

"Aggie, I have to disagree. Lizzie is right about the heart mattering. However, Mary, your mother is right that…taking pride in one's appearance does give off a sense of confidence in yourself, and lets the world know that you take care of yourself." Margaret Gardiner played the peacemaker. "Perhaps, next summer, you can come spend some time in London with me and take the time to develop your own sense of fashion."

"Do you think anyone famous will be at Maria Dare's?" Kitty asked, excitedly.

"Just us…" Lizzie trailed off as she noticed a black car that had made the last several turns with them. She rapped on the window and the driver rolled it down. "Kyle, has that car been following us long?"

"Lizzie, there are a thousand cars like that in London." Jane pointed out. "Look, he's turning the other way."

"He did make several turns with us, but it is the best route when there is traffic. Probably just someone else who knows it or a member of the press." Kyle suggested. "Would you like me to call Mr. Darcy?"

"No." Lizzie shook her head. "I'm stressing over nothing. Sorry to disturb you, Kyle."

"No disturbance at all, Miss Lizzie. We'll be at Dare Studios in about five minutes." Kyle reported and rolled the window back up.

"Lizzie, dear, is something wrong?" Margaret asked her niece quietly while Jane engaged the rest of the Bennets in conversation.

"No. I mean, yes. I just…I can't shake this feeling that I'm being followed. Jane and Darcy say it is the press, and that makes reasonable sense. Darcy doesn't notice it because he's used to it and Jane has had six months to adapt to the press, I haven't had nearly as long. I understand all that, but I still get this…feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Margaret sighed. "Dear, I think they are right. But it never hurts to be very careful."

"You're right. I'll just be more careful and keep an eye out." Lizzie nodded. "Besides, today is all about Jane."

Jane looked exquisite. She was a beautiful woman, but the dress fit her perfectly. It was a sweetheart neckline that fit at her natural waist and flared down gracefully, not quite as full as a ball gown, but close. The whole dress was covered in a delicate lace overlay that hung below the hem with a delicate scallop and went all the way up to her neck and down to three-quarter sleeves. The back had tiny cloth buttons going all the way up to Jane's neck. It was elegant, tasteful, and had a classic feel. The dress was belted with a thin strand of white pearls and the cathedral length veil was made of the same delicate lace.

"Janie, it is beautiful." Lizzie smiled.

"Oh my dear girl." Mrs. Bennet wiped her eyes. "You were born to wear couture."

"Thank you, Mama." Jane grinned.

"You shouldn't do too much jewelry." Lydia added. "Just a simple pair of vintage pearl earrings."

"But what about my something blue?" Jane asked.

"Do your hair in a chignon and get a pretty comb with a sapphire or something." Lydia replied. Lizzie was impressed. Lydia was the most fashion conscious in the bunch but she had never expected to it actually be useful knowledge.

"She is correct." Maria, the designer, nodded. "That is the perfect compliment to a dress like this."

"And you could get new earrings, since you are wearing your Cinderella slippers." Kitty giggled.

"I could…poke around some for you." Lydia suggested.

"Lydia, I would like nothing better." Jane smiled. "If only everyone felt as I do right now. Can you die of happiness?"

"Now Jane don't be ridiculous. No one is dying." Mrs. Bennet scolded. "Hurry up and finish the fitting, dear, we have so much to do!"

Lizzie and Jane decided to stay at the Gardiners for a few days to visit with Georgiana and to pick up the dress, which only needed one final touch. They were also looking for a "going away dress" for both of their respective weddings, but that they wanted to find vintage. Lizzie still got the feeling she was being followed, but every time, whoever it was would turn or go the other way or disappear into a crowd. Finally, after a long, but successful, day of shopping, the girls were back at the Gardiner's, putting away the purchases of the day.

"Lizzie, you are driving me crazy, looking over your shoulder constantly. I felt as though we were on the run all day and we actually managed to escape the press." Jane sighed. "I'm worried about you, dear. How are you going to manage school this year? You seem so stressed and all we've done is shop."

"I'm sorry." Lizzie sighed. "I am stressed. I know I love Will and want to marry him, but I am so worried that I am going to make a huge mistake or social gaffe with this wedding and we don't even have a date yet! I am just so overwhelmed, I feel like I am losing myself to this…life. I never considered how hard it would really be."

"Have you talked to Will about this at all?" Jane asked.

"Of course not. I don't want to worry him or make him think I'm not capable."

Jane sighed and stood, throwing her hands in the air.

"Where are you going? I'm in the middle of an identity crisis! You can't abandon me now!" Lizzie called as her sister disappeared into the kitchen.

Jane returned a minute later with a large glass of wine. She sat back down on the couch, drank almost half the glass and set it down. "Okay. Lizzie, I say this with love. Every single problem you and Darcy have ever had has always come from a lack of communication. _You_ have to tell him your concerns and _he _needs to discuss his with you. I refuse to listen to any more of your identity crisis until you resolve things with Will."

True to her word, Jane did not discuss any issues with Lizzie that evening. Elizabeth could not sleep, she sat up much of the night, thinking and trying to figure out what, exactly, to do with this turn her life was taking. Finally, after midnight, she went to bed, determined to talk to Will about everything tomorrow.

Darcy sat eating lunch with his cousin and Uncle. Not that the company wasn't pleasant, but Will was beginning to feel like his Uncle had another motive for the surprise luncheon.

"Uncle Andrew, why are you really here?" Will asked.

"To discuss this marriage you are rushing headlong into." Andrew Matlock sighed.

"Uncle, I'm nearly 30. I am old enough to make my own decisions." Darcy pointed out.

"Yes, but Richard tells me that Elizabeth is 21." Andrew said.

Darcy glared at his cousin. "Did he also tell you that he did not believe me when I told him? Lizzie isn't like most 21-year-olds. She is very mature."

"That is true, father." Richard nodded.

"I realize that. I've met her. I like her; I'm even okay with the match, despite my sister's condemnation of it. Will, this is a hard life if you weren't raised in it. Learning to deal with the press, the estate, the societal pressures are not easy and in our set, mistakes are rarely tolerated. Is she really ready?" Andrew countered. "I recommend a tiered prenuptial agreement, where the longer you two are married, the more money she gets."

"I'm not…" Will took a deep breath. "There will be no pre-nup."

The Earl of Matlock, who prided himself on his composure, felt his jaw fall in shock and he stood. "Fitzwilliam! Have you lost your senses?"

Darcy shot up as well. "I do not intend on getting divorced."

Andrew sighed and sat back down. "No one _intends_ to get divorced, my boy, but it happens. Are you truly willing to let her have half of everything?"

"If I do something to cause her to divorce me, I deserve to lose more than that." Will shrugged, sitting back down.

Richard looked uneasy. "Look, I love Lizzie. I think you are perfect for each other and I think you truly love each other. But is it really wise to do this? Remember, you are not just responsible for yourself."

"That is what Lizzie said when I told her I wasn't agreeing to a pre-nup. She argued with me for a while, giving me all the rational arguments you are giving me now as to why she should sign a pre-nup."

"You are telling me that your fiancé argued that she _should_ sign a pre-nup?" Andrew asked, shocked.

Before Darcy could answer, Wellesley entered the room. "I beg pardon, sirs. Miss Elizabeth is here and wants to see you, Sir."

"Thank you." Darcy nodded. "Excuse me. Continue with lunch. I'll be back later and we can discuss all the things we must do after the wedding."

Lizzie was pacing the foyer when he entered.

"Lizzie? Is everything okay? I thought you were at your Aunt's, having girl time?" Will asked, concerned.

"We were…I just…" Lizzie took a deep breath. "Can we talk?"

"Lets go into my study." Will nodded and opened the door for her. "What's wrong, Darling?"

"I can't do this. I am just too stressed out with school and going to all these events and dinners and functions with you and planning a wedding that still has no date and I still swear someone is following me and I just cannot live like this!" Lizzie said and plopped into a chair, seemingly exhausted. "I'm loosing myself to this life, Will."

Darcy moved a chair close to her and sat, so he could look her in the eye, and took her hands. "Elizabeth, no one is following you. I watch, every time we go somewhere and I never see anything suspicious. It is probably just the paparazzi and you can't let it get to you."

Lizzie stood and paced. "That's the other thing! I can't leave the house, ever, without looking halfway decent because I never know when a photographer is going to pop out at me. And I have a different persona for the press and a persona I put on around your peers and the lines are starting to blur on what is a mask. I feel like I am losing myself to a title I don't even have yet. How am I ever going to write a thesis with all of the other nonsense going on?"

Will crossed his arms. "Don't you think you are being a little dramatic?"

"Dramatic? I'm voicing my concerns and you think I'm being _dramatic_?" Lizzie demanded.

"Yes! You don't _have_ to go to all those things with me and you don't _have_ to plan the wedding." He felt the anger start to rise. "And for the last time, _no one is following you!"_

Lizzie looked at him, hurt, and walked over to stare out of the window. She shook her head and whispered, "Maybe I'll just quit school and we won't have to worry about any of this."

"You are not quitting school!"

Lizzie whirled, her anger back in a flash. "That is _not_ your decision! You may be an Earl but you are not _my_ Lord and Master!"

"Maybe my Uncle was right. Maybe you are too young to get married!" Will exclaimed, frustrated.

"Or maybe you're a controlling, arrogant jerk who no one could ever want to marry." Lizzie turned on a heel and left, slamming the door behind her.

Will was still seething when he returned to the dining room. He grabbed the decanter of scotch and poured himself a glass, quickly downing it. Then he poured a second glass.

"I guess we won't have anything to discuss." Will said tightly. "I'm no longer getting married."

"Let it out, Cuz, let it out." Richard patted his back. "And pour me a glass while you're at it."

"Surely you are not calling off the wedding over a little fight." Andrew shook his head.

"Father, I don't think that was little." Richard said.

"She's…" The reality of the fight finally hit Will, driving away his anger and leaving behind guilt and despair. "She is furious with me."

"And she has every right to be." Andrew said. "Listen careful, boys. There are two things you must do to have a successful marriage: listen and be the man."

Will and Rick looked at their family patriarch, confused.

"You have to listen to her. You can't dismiss all her problems or try to solve them yourself. Half the time, she just needs to vent. You dismissed all of her concerns and stresses as if they were nothing. To you, they may be, but to her, they are important." Andrew explained.

"And the 'be the man' part?" Rick prompted.

"Apologize first, open doors, kill bugs, that sort of thing. And trust me, no matter how much she may be overreacting, _never_ point it out."

Will paced. "But she was overreacting! She keeps saying someone is following her and I've looked. I've never seen anything remotely suspicious. I offered to hire her a bodyguard, she said no. She tells me she's stressed about the wedding; I offer to hire a wedding planner. Now she's telling me she wants to quit school. You don't find that the least bit dramatic?"

"Darcy, think about what I just said and what you just said. I've been married to your Aunt Rose for 38 years and I am speaking here from experience. You just said she told you her problems and you said you'd fix them and dismissed them." Andrew sighed.

"He's got you there, Darce." Rick said. "But you better fix this. Because you aren't going to find a girl like Lizzie again."

"Aunt Maggie, it was awful!" Lizzie fumed. "I told him I was thinking of quitting school and he told me I couldn't do that! Arrogant bastard! And he thinks that all of this will just work itself out, like I'm stressing over nothing!"

"I think, as I have told you before, that Darcy is right about the press following you and you aren't used to it. That doesn't mean he should dismiss your fears, but it does mean you should try to relax. Just continue to be careful, but try to not stress yourself out over that." Maggie sighed. "As for school…being a Countess is not just a title, dear. I'm going to ask you a series of questions and I want you to answer them honestly."

Lizzie looked at her aunt, a little confused at the turn of conversation. "Okay."

"Let's assume your wedding is in the late spring. Do you want to start work that year?" Maggie asked.

"No. That'd be too much."

"Okay." She grabbed a notepad and pen. "And how long do you want to wait to have children?"

Lizzie thought for a moment. "Two years, maybe?"

"How many children?"

"Two or three."

"And would you want to work while they are little?"

"No. I'd wait until they were in school."

"Last question. How far apart in age would you like them to be?"

"Two or three years, I guess. Where is this going, Aunt Maggie?" Lizzie asked.

"You'll see." Maggie did some calculations on the paper. "Okay, assuming you had three kids two years apart, starting at about the third year of marriage, you will be guaranteed to work for one year of the first twelve."

Lizzie's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Do you think that maybe you are holding on to this life plan of yours a little too tightly?" Maggie suggested. "Sweetheart, you have to factor marrying an Earl into the plan, which will change it. You can't just stick him in the 'husband' slot in your old plan."

"One year?" Lizzie was still digesting it all.

"Maybe two or three. It depends on when you manage to get pregnant." Maggie nodded. "Lizzie, you aren't the same person who started University on the path to be a teacher. She is gone. Loving Darcy has changed you, just as loving you changed him. Don't you think you can change your life plan too? Perhaps, go back to school later? Once you've gotten the hang of being the Countess of Devon?"

"I…" Lizzie was flabbergasted. "I need to go for a run, clear my head."

Will and Rick were nearly finished with the decanter of scotch when Will's mobile rang.

Will looked at his phone, confused, before answering: "Lady Margaret?"

Maggie sounded a bit stressed. "Darcy, Lizzie's in the hospital, she's been attacked."


	16. Chapter 16

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 16

It took a moment for Margaret's words to sink in, but when they did, it had an instantly sobering effect on Darcy. "Is she okay? What happened?"

"She is okay. Just a few bumps and bruises. She went for a run and someone attacked her." Maggie explained. "She's been asking for you."

Will wasted no time in getting a cab and speeding off to the hospital, press be damned. He walked in and marched straight up to the desk in the emergency room. "Where is Elizabeth Bennet?"

"Are you family?" The receptionist asked. "I'll have to call up…"

"He is indeed family." Mr. Gardiner said, walking into the lobby. "Come on, young man."

"Please, tell me…is she truly okay?" Will practically demanded.

"Yes. She has some minor bruising and a sprained wrist and they want to make sure she doesn't have a concussion." Edward Gardiner explained as he led Darcy to Lizzie's hospital room. "Maggie and I will give you a moment while we inform the rest of the family."

Lizzie perked up when he walked in. In a second, Will had her face in his hands, kissing her desperately. He sat on the edge of the bed and held her uninjured hand against his chest. "I've never been so worried in all my life. I'm so sorry, love, for everything."

Lizzie freed her good hand and pulled him down for a long, languid kiss. "Thank you, my love, for being here and apologizing. Now it is my turn, but I need you to hear me out."

"I can do that." He nodded.

"I had a long talk with my aunt and she pointed out to me that I was being very selfish. I had this grand plan for my life to go to Uni, get my teaching credentials, and get a job. I figured marriage and kids would come further down the line. I've been trying to reconcile that plan with marrying a millionaire Earl. I can't. It is nearly impossible and not worth it. My aunt made me do some math, and I realized, with kids and not working the first year of marriage, I'd end up working one, maybe two years of the next twelve."

Darcy was shocked. "Wow. I didn't realize that."

"Neither did I. So, I'll spend this year adjusting to my new life and planning our wedding without the additional stress of school."

"Are you sure? My Aunt Rose offered to help however she could."

"Once I really thought about it, this was an easy decision." Lizzie nodded. "But I'll still take her up on that offer to help."

Will smiled. "And I will take care of school so you won't have to worry about a thing."

Before she could answer, two inspectors knocked on the open hospital door. "Miss Bennet? Might we have a moment?"

"Come in, gentlemen. This is my fiancé, the Earl of Devon." Lizzie took his hand. "Can he stay for moral support?"

"Actually, it concerns his Lordship as well." One of the inspectors said. "I'm Inspector Roberts, this is Inspector Austen. We'll be handling your case. We found something on the scene that confirms this was a deliberate attack." Roberts handed them an evidence bag with a note inside.

Will grabbed it and held it so they could both see it; he wasn't about to relinquish Lizzie's good hand. The note read "There will be no Lady Elizabeth Darcy".

"So, someone was after me?" Lizzie asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes. Apparently with murderous intent. Do you know anyone who doesn't want the two of you to get married?" Roberts asked.

Lizzie sighed. "Yes, but this…this is not her style."

"My Aunt, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, is highly opposed to our relationship." Will explained. "Bu she…she would never do _anything_ that would create a scandal for the family."

"What about Caroline?" Lizzie asked.

"Bingley? I hear from Charles she's been seeing a French model since she got back from New York and is head over heels for him." He replied. "I don't think we should ever be good friends with her but I don't think she would do something like this."

Roberts nodded. "Well, I'm going to get a sketch artist in here and circulate his description in hospitals and clinics. I believe you told the responding officer you broke the assailant's nose?"

"Yes." Lizzie said.

"Miss Bennet, start from the beginning and tell us the whole story. Do not leave out any detail, no matter how insignificant."

"Well lately I've been feeling like someone is following me but I don't have any concrete proof or confirmation. Will and I argued about that and a few other things…"

Will stood and walked over to the window. He didn't move as she detailed her run, and how someone had grabbed her wrist. She had kneed her attacker in the groin, and then elbowed him in the nose. Darcy clasped his hands tightly and stared resolutely out of the window, fighting his rage at this lowlife. The fact that he could have lost Lizzie – Darcy refused to consider the idea.

"Call me if you see or hear _anything_ suspicious." Roberts pulled out a card and handed it to Lizzie.

"I've just gotten off the phone with the sketch artist, Miss Bennet, and he will be here in about half an hour." Inspector Austen said. "Was this a normal running route for you, Miss Bennet?"

"Yes. I usually run that route, though not at the time I did today. I do usually run when I am stressed out or if we have had a fight." Lizzie nodded, wondering why Will was being so unresponsive. Was he just over all the drama she and her family seemed to cause?

He stunned her by turning and addressing the Inspectors in a controlled, even tone. "Inspector? If this…maniac's goal is to prevent our wedding, what would happen if we were to marry…sooner?"

"Depends on the perpetrator. Some would give up, some would escalate." Austen explained. "I would tread carefully, both of you, until we catch them. I also recommend private security, your Lordship."

Darcy nodded and the inspectors left. Lizzie was more than a little irritated with him. After his emotional outburst when he arrived, Will had gone into his shell and no longer seemed interested in comforting her or communicating with her. Lizzie was hurt by his frigid demeanor and having an uncomfortable flashback to those days in Hertfordshire before they were together. Lizzie crossed her arms and regarded her taciturn fiancé with a scowl. "So, _your Lordship_, what course of action have you decided for us?"

Darcy looked at her, surprise finally breaking through his neutral expression. "Why so hostile? Are you feeling unwell?"

"What I'm feeling, Will, is angry." Lizzie replied. "At you."

"Oh, this I can tell." Darcy said icily, and then closed his eyes. "You are overwrought. I'll come back when you are feeling more rational."

"Rational!" Lizzie stood, furious. She took a steadying breath and lowered her voice. "I am perfectly rational, _sir._ You came here and kissed me like you were desperately worried, then you turn around and stare at the window when I needed you most. What I just have to relive, _alone_, was not an easy thing." Her voice broke and a few tears glistened in her eyes. "Will, I needed you, I needed your love, and you just…stood there."

Her tears melted his irritation, his anger and made him feel guilty. "I'm horrible. I was so focused on trying to get my temper under control and I should have been focusing on you."

Will pulled her into a hug and Lizzie let loose all the fear and pain as she sobbed into his broad chest.

"I'm sorry my darling." Will whispered and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry for everything. I should have listened to you."

They stayed like that for some time, until the Gardiners came in with the sketch artist.

"Lizzie, do you need more time?" Will asked, touching her cheek gently.

She nodded and walked over to the artist. "Can you give my fiancé and I ten minutes? Then I'm all yours."

"We'll wait in the hall." Maggie Gardiner nodded.

Lizzie walked back over to Will and took his hands. "Now, why were you asking the inspector about us getting married sooner?"

"I just…I know you are okay with an elopement and…after today, I don't want to be parted from you. Not ever." Will smiled. "So…I had an idea. What if we got married tomorrow?"

"Okay." She smiled.

"Really? You are okay to get married tomorrow?" He asked, excited and a little stunned.

"Yes. Darling, yes." Lizzie kissed him gently.

"I'll take care of the rings. Who will we tell first?" He asked. "Unless…this does provide us an opportunity to see how informed our stalker is."

"Fitzwilliam, do you want to elope because of that or is this situation just an excuse to do what you want to do anyway?"

"I've wanted to marry you since last December." He beamed. "This does give me a good reason to give your father so he will go along with it."

"You get the license, the rings and contact your family, I'll take care of the church and my family." Lizzie instructed. "And tomorrow we will be man and wife. I've wanted to elope from the beginning of this whole thing."

"So who do we include?"

"Jane and Charles. Lydia, Mary, Kitty, the Gardiners. My father. Rick. Georgiana. Annie." She smiled. "Am I missing anyone?"

"Not your mother?" Will furrowed his brow.

"No. We can't take the focus away from Jane. And Mama would not be able to talk of anything else. I'm going to leave out all the details of my attack to everyone but my father and the Gardiners. Everyone else only needs to think we ran out of patience." Lizzie shook her head. "Besides, she would hate me eloping. Its better if someone just brings her to the church and she finds out at the event."

"And after the wedding, we go for an extended honeymoon on the continent." Will kissed her gently. "Until tomorrow, my love."

"Until tomorrow." Lizzie practically giggled and watched as he walked all the way out the door.

The next morning, Lizzie stared at her reflection in the mirror, hardly recognizing herself. Her dress was a simple white lace dress with three quarter sleeves, a white silk slip, and belted with a white satin ribbon. She had originally bought it as a shower or "going away" dress, but since it was technically a vintage wedding dress, she thought it was perfect for the occasion. She wore the simple diamond set he had given her for the Royal Wedding and Jane helped her curl the ends of her hair. Lizzie looked exactly how she had always wanted: simple, classic and not fussy.

"Jane…" Lizzie turned to her sister. "You know…Darcy and I aren't doing this to take the focus off you or anything."

"Darling, I know. That's why you didn't tell mama." Jane smiled. "I know that you have never wanted a big fancy wedding and that you have absolutely no patience."

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Come on, let's get me married."

Mr. Bennet stopped Lizzie before she left the house. "Lizzie, I have all my old contacts on alert. I want you to stay safe on your honeymoon, that means not going anywhere on your own, but I also want you to relax. I've also got Mary brining your mother and breaking the news to her in the car." He pulled her into a hug. "I couldn't have let you marry anyone else, my dear. I could have only let you go like this to a man you felt was worthy."

Lizzie swore she saw tears in her father's eyes as he paced a small silver comb with a pretty floral design in her hair.

"Shall we?" Mr. Bennet offered his arm and she took it, too overcome to say a word.

There was no music, no flowers, and the only people who walked down the aisle were Lizzie and Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet had thrown a fit in the car, but upon arriving at the church, she pulled it together and stood like a perfect lady. The Vicar began with the traditional service.

"The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God, who knows all the secrets of our hearts; therefor, if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now." The Vicar said, and Darcy and Lizzie only grinned at each other.

"Now, Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard, do you take Elizabeth Rigby to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" the Vicar asked.

Will nodded solemnly. "I will."

"And do you, Elizabeth Rigby, take Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

Lizzie smiled. "I will."

The wedding was a happy blur. Georgiana and Jane snapped photos while the couple exchanged vows. Lizzie was pleasantly surprised to see that Will had managed to find two basic platinum wedding bands. The Vicar took the rings and said the blessing over them. He then invited Will to put the ring on her finger.

"With this ring, I thee wed." Will smiled. "With my body, I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

"With this ring." Lizzie slid the ring on his finger. "I thee wed. With my body, I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

"In the presence of God and these assembled witnesses, Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard and Elizabeth Rigby have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife." The Vicar joined their hands. "Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder."

Lizzie and Darcy knelt as the Vicar did the blessing. The signed the register and had the Vicar pray over them and bless them. Jane was holding Charles's hand, wiping a tear from her eye and Georgiana seemed about to cry. The Vicar had them all stand for the final prayer.

"Faithful God, holy and eternal, source of life and spring of love, we thank and praise you for bringing Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth to this day and we pray for them. Lord of life and love…"

Everyone finished with the closing, as was tradition. "Hear our prayer."

Then Lizzie jumped into Will's arms, kissing him soundly. The gathered family laughed and cried, with hugs all around.

"Thank you, Sir." Will shook the vicar's hand. "Please expect a donation to the school when we return from the honeymoon."

"Thank you, my Lord." The Vicar smiled. "Lizzie, it is a great honor to now call you 'my Lady'. Few other girls in my parish are as deserving as you for this perfect happiness. I must return to the school, but God's blessing be with you both as you go."

Lizzie smiled, and then examined her left hand. "Will, how did you get the rings?"

"Harriet. I put in a call to her yesterday to get her recommendation and she told me this was her wedding present to me. She already had your size from the engagement ring so I ran out, got my size, and she ordered two simple platinum bands rom a friend of hers in London. I thought, for the big wedding, we could have them engraved." Will replied. "I think I'd be lost without you and the Reynolds women. Harriet took care of the rings, and Mrs. Reynolds took care of my bags and a great deal more."

"Alright, Mrs. Darcy, Mr. Darcy, you best start saying your goodbyes if we are to make it to the airport." Richard smiled, enjoying the stupid grins on their faces from hearing Elizabeth addressed as "Mrs. Darcy".

Maggie hugged her niece. "Take care, my love. Jane and I…added a few things to your bag. Enjoy them wisely."

A few more congratulations and tearful farewells and they were off. Richard had offered to drive them to the airport in the effort to keep the press guessing. Darcy and Charles had come to the church in Charles's car from Netherfield while the Gardiners had driven Georgiana down from London. No press had crashed the wedding and with any luck, Lizzie and Darcy would be out of the country before anyone even knew they were thinking of leaving.

"So, where are we going?" Lizzie asked as they took their bags out of the car at the airport.

"Italy, Greece, Spain and France to see whatever you want to see or to just relax. There will be no wedding planning, no stalkers, no Lydia's hormones, no Aunt Catherine, and as little stress as I can possible manage." Will replied, taking her hand. "Will go over the itinerary on the plane. Richard, thank you."

"You two have fun. I'll see you when you get back and it'll all be taken care of." Richard nodded and drove off.

"What will be taken care of?" Lizzie asked.

"Just a few things I was going to do before we decided on this little impromptu trip. Fortunately for me, Richard can do a lot of my little business and household things." Will said. He didn't want to tell Lizzie that Richard was hiring a bodyguard for them both. Not yet.

The airport was uneventful, surprisingly. Airport security escorted them all the way to the gate, thanks to a small phone call from Inspector Roberts. Lizzie looked over all his plans as they flew, admiring how thoughtful he was and how he must have stayed up half the night planning the details of their trip. Her excitement, along with her anticipation of the evening to come, brought a faint blush of pink to her cheeks. Will thought she had never looked prettier. The villa they were staying in for the first leg of their trip was not far from the airport, and sat on a mountain overlooking the Mediterranean. They also had to go through a security checkpoint and a coded gate to get there, which made Lizzie feel very safe. The villa was large, and had an impressive amount of modern convenience without losing any of its traditional charm. Someone had even left them dinner.

"This is very nice." Lizzie smiled as Will brought in their bags.

"Yeah. It has staff, but they are on-call only. You can call and request a cook, maid, or runner any time during our stay." Will explained. "Annie recommended it. She said they have great service, but only when you want it, so it affords lots of privacy."

"Something we have not had much of." Lizzie nodded. "Well, I'm hungry, let's eat."

After a light supper, they took in the view from the balcony. Will put his arm around her. "How are you doing this evening, my darling wife?"

"Happy." Lizzie smiled up at him. "Perfectly, completely, absolutely happy. And you, dearest husband?"

"I have no words." Will grinned and touched her face gently before capturing her lips with his. "Shall we…turn in, my love?"

Lizzie nodded and took his arm, not trusting herself to speak.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 17

Lizzie woke slowly. She had never felt so utterly content. She felt Will gently stroking her hair as she snuggled up to his broad, bare chest.

"Good morning, darling." He said, kissing the top of her head. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well. Except you _snore_ terribly!" Lizzie grinned up at him.

"Forgive me, Madam, but I do _not _snore. That was _you_." Will countered.

"Fitzwilliam, a lady does not snore!" She exclaimed, pretending to be affronted.

"You're not a Lady. You are a Countess, so all bets are off." He tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Do you have any idea how happy you have made me?"

"I'm beginning to." Lizzie grinned. "So, what's on the agenda today, Darling?"

"Well, there's breakfast, because you are constantly needing to be fed." He kissed her gently. "And the beach." He kissed her again. "Then lunch in the village." Will's kisses grew longer and more passionate. "Then, of course, we come back here to rest." After that, their passion overcame them and they did not leave the bedroom for another hour.

Will woke first, and seeing his beautiful wife asleep, he slipped out of bed and went to check on their neglected breakfast. Deciding they should eat on the balcony, Darcy set out to move everything except the items on warmers to the table outside. As he was making his way back into the kitchen, Lizzie started to thrash in bed, screaming. Will was instantly at her side and pulled her into his arms as she continued to thrash, hitting him several times.

"Lizzie, wake up." He shook her a little. "Elizabeth!"

At that, she started, awake and breathing heavily. "Will? Thank God!" Lizzie wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed. He held her until all her tears were spent.

"Are you alright, my darling?" Will asked. "Was it a nightmare?"

Lizzie nodded. "It was like…in the park. Only I didn't…"

Will kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, my love."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. This is supposed to be our honeymoon and I'm…I'm a bundle of nerves." Lizzie sighed.

"Nonsense." He said. "You are allowed to have a hard time dealing with what happened. It was only two days ago."

"Will…" She looked up at him, still feeling incredible frightened. "Don't leave me."

"Not ever, my beautiful, darling wife." Will kissed her gently. "Now, my father always told me the best cure for night terrors was a good breakfast, good sunshine, and a good ride. I can offer you two of three."

"You could offer me the third, but I don't think that's what your father meant." Lizzie smiled.

Will laughed, happy she was starting to feel better. Lizzie loved the sound of his laugh, it was clear and joyful, and occasionally, as now, infectious.

"Come, my love, if you insist on teasing me like that, you'll need breakfast to keep your strength up." Will grinned. "I'll be right out on the balcony, getting breakfast ready. Call if you want me for any reason."

Lizzie wasted no time getting up and dressed. She made her way on to the balcony, clad in tiny black shorts and a low-cut, loose-fitting tank top. Will loved that even on their honeymoon, Lizzie was herself. Someone, and he suspected Jane and Mrs. Gardiner, had put a few frilly, complicated-looking things in her suitcase. He was sure she would look amazing in them all, but it really wasn't her style. Comfortable and classic suit her so much better.

"Penny for your thoughts, husband." Lizzie smiled, sitting down.

"Just thinking about how beautiful you look, darling wife." He grinned. "And how you don't need to dress up in anything fancy to be stunningly gorgeous."

"Milord, you are very sweet. You are also living proof that love is blind." Lizzie shook her head. "Besides, you look delicious when you are all disheveled and casual."

"Delicious?" Will raised an eyebrow and scooped her up, laughing. He made it almost to the bed when he heard her stomach rumble loudly.

"Sorry." Lizzie blushed.

"No. No need to apologize." He laughed and kissed her. "I guess we do really need to eat."

The honeymoon was, in Lizzie's mind, glorious. Despite spending a great deal of time indoors, they managed to see quite a few sites as well. True to her personality, Lizzie made her husband do silly things and take ridiculous photos, but Darcy enjoyed every moment of it. Their last three days were to be spent in Paris and Will had agreed to let Lizzie plan the itinerary for the first day in Paris as his birthday present.

"Happy birthday, Will." Lizzie kissed him gently. "It's time to get up."

Will opened his eyes to see Lizzie's face hovering over his own. He pulled her in for a sleepy, but still passionate, kiss. "Morning."

Lizzie pulled away, smiling. "Darling, we have a schedule to maintain."

"We, wife, are on vacation. That means we have no schedules." He protested, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yes, husband, but it is your birthday. We have much to do." She pointed out.

"Since it is my birthday, don't I get to do what I want today?" Will pouted.

"Normally, yes." Lizzie smiled. "But you, sir, promised me I could plan this day."

"Am I ever going to win an argument again?"

She laughed as she climbed out of bed. "I wouldn't plan on it."

The day began with a delightful little bakery and chocolate croissants, followed by a trip to Calais to see the original _Burghers of Calais_. It was one of Will's favorite pieces of all time and to see it _in situ_ was incredible.

"I love this piece." Will sighed, walking around it. "I have always found the story so noble and Rodin captures the bravery and agony so perfectly."

"I thought you might like to see it." Lizzie grinned. "And I find your attraction to melancholy things is an adorable character trait."  
"Melancholy?"

"Maybe not melancholy, but certainly things tinged with darkness. This, _Judith_, and _Sonnet 29_." She pointed out.

Will just shrugged and pulled her close. "_For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings that I would scorn to change my state with kings_."

"I do rather like that sonnet. Even if it is a little depressing."

He looked at her seriously. "It used to be my favorite, for I thought the darkness made the light shine brighter. Now that I have you, I fully understand another of the Bard's sonnets: For my _love alters not with brief hours or weeks, but bears it out even _beyond_ the edge of doom_."

Lizzie put her arms around him and kissed him. "I like how you quote Shakespeare. You never get the words exactly right, you always personalize them."

"It is because I have such wonderful inspiration." Will smiled. "So, my love, where to next?"

Lizzie had arranged a helicopter tour of all sorts of castles and chateaus within flying distance of Paris. They enjoyed the ride and then returned to Paris and their suite where a nice birthday dinner was waiting, complete with a cake. For Darcy, it was the best birthday he ever had.

To avoid the press, who now knew they were out of the country, they decided to drive back to London from Paris, stopping for a night at Kent while Lady Catherine was away. Richard was meeting them there and Annie was dying to hear all about the wedding and honeymoon, since she had not been able to attend the ceremony. She greeted them warmly when the couple pulled up at Rosings.

"Welcome home! How was the vacation? I know it was a great relief to get away."

"Annie, this was not just a vacation." Will pointed out as she hugged them both.

"I know." Annie nodded. "But while you are in Rosings, and within earshot of the staff, it was. Now, let me see this ring."

She took Lizzie's hand to see her engagement ring and wedding band. "You two have absolutely no patience. I half expected this to happen in New York. Come on in; tell me everything. Rick will be here in about ten minutes."

Annie and Lizzie went into the house happily chattering while Will took care of their bags.

"We wanted you to be there, but we could not think of a way to get you to Hertfordshire on such short notice without alerting your mother." Lizzie explained. "Some of my family wasn't told until the arrived at the church, it was a bit of a rush. I don't know how much Georgiana told you."

"She filled me in nicely." Annie grinned. "And you could have let my mother find out. But why all the secrecy?"

"You mustn't tell Georgiana or your mother, but the attack…it wasn't random. We wanted to get…you know…soon anyway so we decided to keep it a secret to see if our stalker is a stranger or if he or she is getting information from the family. Someone doesn't want us to get married badly enough to try and kidnap me to prevent it." Lizzie sighed.

Annie gasped. "How horrible! Surely…oh. You suspect my mother."

"Actually, not really. I mean, we did have to tell the inspectors about her feelings on the marriage, but Will and I both feel like that isn't her style. She's more vocally violent than physically. And she would never do anything to cause a scandal for the family."

"True." Annie nodded. "And you also can't tell her because she will vent to 'dear Professor Collins' and he'll tell all of Kent, including your friend Charlotte, who will tell her family…"

"And through the good natured, gossiping Lucases, Hertfordshire would know all. By then, the press will know it too." Lizzie smiled. "We truly do not suspect your mother of anything other than unwittingly informing the stalker of our movements."

"I'll keep an eye on her, just the same." Annie sighed. "On to happier things. I hope you have some pictures to show me."

"Only a few hundred." Lizzie laughed. "Many of them will make you look at your dear cousin in a different way. Like this."

Lizzie pulled out her phone and pulled up their pictures from Pisa. She had dragged him to the cheesy photo spot where you could stand like you were holding up the leaning tower and they had taken several silly individual pictures and a nice older couple had taken a few of them together. In one of them, Lizzie had been trying to set up a funny picture where they were both "pushing" the tower down when he had grabbed her for a kiss. The old woman caught them at the perfect, silly moment. Will was looking at the camera, grinning like an idiot, and Lizzie was leaning against him, cracking up. It was completely adorable.

"This might be my favorite picture ever." Lizzie smiled.

"You're really good for him, you know. Will had to grow up so fast, he never got to do all the stupid things like take dumb pictures and pull pranks and be a kid. This is completely adorable. And he would _never_ have smiled like that before you." Annie grinned.

"Annie…I don't know what I did to deserve him, but I want to spend my whole life making memories like this one." Lizzie shook her head. "I think three weeks is the perfect length for…our particular kind of vacation. You should keep that in mind for when you and your friend…you know."

Annie laughed and the Lizzie continued to regale her with funny stories from the honeymoon.

Richard showed up with an extra vehicle as the ladies chatted. Will went out to greet him and to meet the security team he had hired while they were gone.

"Welcome back." Rick grinned. "I trust you enjoyed yourself?"

"Immensely." Will nodded. "Thank you for arranging this."

Richard introduced the security team and Will talked to them all for a moment. Then he introduced Sara Hawkins.

"This is Sara Hawkins. Her husband died in Iraq three years ago, she has a son who is adorable, and she used to work for my boss. He's retiring and she doesn't like his replacement, but she might be the best personal assistant ever."

Sara Hawkins, a petite woman no older than twenty-five blushed. She was pretty, with curly blonde hair and blue eyes, and she seemed to have the fit of an athlete.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lord." She nodded seriously. "I know you didn't ask for a personal assistant, but I do not like General Burris's replacement, he is not the sort of man a young lady would want to work for. I do hope your wife wants an assistant and approves of me."

"I know Lizzie, she'll fight the idea but she will give you a fair shake." Will smiled.

"Speaking of, where's Lizzie? I want to introduce her to Sara and her security team." Rick asked.

"Inside with Annie. Don't bring them in just yet. Lizzie doesn't know she's getting a security team."

"You didn't tell her?" Richard looked shocked. "She is going to be furious with you."

Will sighed and walked into the living room where his wife and cousin sat chatting happily. "Annie, can I talk to Lizzie for a moment?"

"Sure. I'll go check on dinner." Annie smiled and left the room.

"Lizzie…while we were gone…I had Richard do me a favor…" Will began.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Lizzie asked.

"Because you probably won't. Richard has gotten us – mainly you – a security team. I figured he would be the best to ask because of his military connections." Will explained. "He's here with them now."

"So. _You_ hired a security team. For _me_." She crossed her arms. "Without ever consulting me."

"I wanted to protect you."

"I…I am not going to discuss this with you right now, Fitzwilliam. Have Rick bring them in." Lizzie sighed.

Will walked back into the foyer. "Come in."

"How'd she take it?" Richard asked.

"Not…well. She called me 'Fitzwilliam'." Darcy answered. "I don't get it. I'm only trying to protect her."

"Cousin, your intentions are almost always spot-on, but your execution…that needs a bit of work." Rick patted his back. "I'll go plead your case."

Richard walked into the room and hugged Lizzie, kissing her cheek. "Hello darling cousin! Was the hone…vacation splendid?"

"Yes." She smiled at him. "Did you miss us?"

"Terribly. My life is so boring without Darcy drama to make fun of." Richard nodded. "I have been busy."

"So I see." Lizzie looked over at the three strangers in the room. "Three?"

"First is Neville Winston. Likes to be called Winston." Rick pointed to a large, bald man with bulging muscles and a grim expression. "Then we have François Galan, or Frank, as he prefers to be called."

Both men bowed. Frank was slender, but still very well built, and both men looked like they could be very dangerous.

"Your ladyship, I'll be your primary guard. Frankie will be your driver and go on runs with you." Winston explained. "We promise to keep you safe."

"Thank you." Lizzie nodded. It was beyond weird to be addressed as "your Ladyship".

"This is Sara Hawkins. If you are amenable, she will try out being your assistant. She comes very highly recommended." Richard introduced a nice looking young woman. "According to my mother and Annie, personal assistants are invaluable."

"It is nice to meet you, Ms. Hawkins. To be honest, I do not think I need a personal assistant, but in deference to my family and their wisdom, we will try." Lizzie smiled.

"The pleasure is all mine, your Ladyship." Sara nodded.

"Off you go then, to the hotel. The Darcys will pick you up after lunch tomorrow." Richard instructed.

Lizzie plopped in a chair the moment they were gone. Rick sat down next to her.

"Lizzie, don't be too hard on him." He said softly.

"Richard, he made a unilateral decision for me without even telling me what he was doing."

"And that was wrong. His heart, as always, was in the right place, it's his head that isn't screwed on tight."

"I suppose, as his wife, my job is to screw it on straight?" Lizzie asked.

"Yes. And he needs a lot of screwing." Richard paused and both of them burst out laughing. "I'm sorry…that…that did not sound right."

"No, it did not." She agreed. "I'll let him stew tonight and we'll talk in the morning."

"Lizzie, I may not be married, but that sounds like a bad precedent to set." Richard pointed out. "Look, he needs to be taught, letting him stew doesn't teach him anything."

Lizzie sighed, Richard was right. "If you hear crashing and screaming…"

"I'll know the two of you have made up." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Lizzie blushed, and couldn't help but laugh. She walked upstairs to where she and Will were spending the night and found him sitting in the chair, sulking, and pretending to read the paper.

"You didn't want to meet the security team?" Lizzie asked.

"I trust Richard's judgment and I met them briefly when they arrived." Will didn't look up from his paper. "Did you like Ms. Hawkins?"

"I'll give her a fair shot." She shrugged. "Will you put down that paper so we can talk?"

"Thank you, no. I do not wish to argue this evening." He replied.

"Neither do I, but we need to talk and I refuse to talk through the Post!" Lizzie crossed her arms, forcing her temper down. "Please put the paper down and speak to your wife."

Will folded his paper and set it in his lap. "Let's talk then. Are you unhappy with the security team?"

"No. I understand why I might need one."

"And do you not agree that Richard would do a great job selecting them?"

"Yes, I have no doubt."

"Then I can't see we have anything to discuss." Will shrugged and moved to open his paper again.

"You don't think we have anything to _discuss_?" Lizzie demanded. "You don't think, that, as your _wife_, I should be consulted when we are considering a security team for me?"

"I am only trying to protect you." He countered, standing. "I do not understand what your problem is."

"I know you are trying to protect me but you _cannot_ just make decisions for me! I am _not_ your little sister. I do _not_ need you to take care of me! I am your wife, I deserve to be treated like an equal!" Lizzie said.

"I do not treat you like my little sister!" He exclaimed, affronted. "I didn't want to worry you or cast a pall on the honeymoon!"

"How could that have any effect on our honeymoon? All you had to do was ask me!"

"I knew you'd say yes, so I went ahead and took care of it. I will _never_ apologize for trying to protect you!"

Lizzie threw up her hands in frustration. "You are not listening! Me agreeing with the need or not is not the problem. The problem is that you wanted to do something and you did it. You didn't even think to include me."

"So, shall I now consult you on which socks to wear each morning?" Will glared at her.

"No! My god, you are so…stubborn!" Lizzie's eyes were flashing with fire and her chest was heaving as she struggled to keep her voice and temper in check.

"Me? Stubborn? You're the one who stubbornly refuses to accept my judgment for things you don't understand!"

"If you didn't think I could handle it, why the hell did you marry me? You knew I was never going to be a trophy wife who agrees with your every word. If that's the kind of woman you wanted, you should have never married me!" She moved to storm out but he grabbed her and pulled her close.

"Don't walk away from me." Will practically growled. "We're not done yet."

"And you get to decide that?" Lizzie seethed.

"I get part of that decision, yeah." Will kissed her hungrily. Lizzie resisted for about half a second before melting into his kiss and his arms.

Several hours later…

Will lay awake thinking. Richard was right, he did usually have good intentions but his execution was occasionally flawed. He finally understood why she was so angry. It wasn't that she didn't respect his judgment or that he didn't respect hers, they just had to learn to share their plans and lives a bit better. Will knew it was something he would have to work on. He was so used to just telling people what to do, to taking care of Georgiana and his staff, it was going to take an effort on his part to include Lizzie in the decision-making process.

"Go to sleep, Will. I can hear you brooding." Lizzie sighed, curling up against him.

"I'm not…" Will smiled. "I wasn't brooding, I was thinking about how I should apologize."

"Clearly, apology accepted." She said.

He pushed up on his elbow to get a better look at her and touched her cheek gently. "Darling, let me say what I need to."

"Fine." Lizzie sighed.

"I have been Master of my estate for nine years, and I have basically taken care of myself and Georgiana for the better part of fifteen years. I've had someone I want as a partner for less than a year. It is going to take time for me to adjust to having someone share my burdens. It is completely my issue and it has nothing to do with me not respecting your opinions and wanting your advice."

"Thank you for that. And as long as you are trying to remember to consult me, I'll try not to get so angry. I was a little judgmental, I think." She played with the hair on his chest. "I just…I'll promise you I'll try not to rush to judgment if you promise to try to discuss things with me."

"I can promise to try, my love. Just…you and my sister are the two most precious things in the world to me. I get a little crazy when one of you is threatened." Will smiled at her.

Lizzie chuckled as a thought occurred to her.

"What?" He asked, curious.

"God help me when we have children." She giggled. "You are going to be the most lovingly overbearing father on the planet!"

"Speaking of children…we're not…I mean…" He trailed off, trying to think of the right words.

"I get a shot. We're fine." Lizzie snuggled up closer to him. "Go to sleep, my love."

The next morning, Annie had a large brunch prepared for them all. Rick smiled when Will and Lizzie came down late and hand in hand.

"Good, now that everyone is here, I have some news." Anne smiled as they all sat down. "You all know Fred…."

"Yeah, I figured he'd be here with the She-demon in London." Rick nodded.

"He is…breaking some news to her." Annie bit her lip and held out her left hand. "We're engaged."

Lizzie rushed over and hugged her, admiring the ring. "Annie! That's wonderful!"

"Congratulations, Cuz." Richard hugged her.

"I am happy for you both." Will hugged his cousin as well. "If anyone deserves to be happy, it is the two of you. Anything we can do to help?"

"Well, we were going to go the route of the two of you and elope but I want the big white wedding. So, do me a favor and don't tell my mother you are married, yet."

"Wouldn't that…wouldn't knowing about us distract her from you?" Lizzie asked.

Annie shook her head. "As long as you are legally available, my mother can hope and focus all her energy on making Will marry me instead of Freddie. Have pity on me and stick to being engaged for now."

"We will do whatever we can." Lizzie took her hand. "We're family, that's what family does."


	18. Chapter 18

Author's note: Thank you everyone who has stuck with me so far, we're almost there. Just a few more chapters to go. This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I'll eventually do a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!" so if you read that now, it might not make too much sense. I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 18

Lizzie was anxious to see her new home. She'd been in the Darcy townhouse dozens of times, but now that she was a Darcy, it was like a whole new experience. She was a bit perturbed, then, when they pulled up at the house and Will told her to wait in the car. The security team went in and Will spoke with the butler for a moment. Lizzie wondered what he was up to, and got out of the car, leaning against the side with her arms crossed.

"Are you ready to see your home, my love?" Will asked, walking back over to her.

"Very ready." Lizzie said and squealed when he scooped her up. "Will!"

"Is it not tradition?" Darcy grinned. "Wellesley, the door. Then stick the bags in the foyer. We'll deal with them later."

The butler nodded and opened the double doors allowing Will to carry his wife over the threshold.

"You are a hopeless romantic." Lizzie smiled.

"Don't tell anyone, I have a taciturn reputation to protect, you know." He laughed, setting her down.

Lizzie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Sir, Mr. Wistead from the car company is on the line." Mrs. Wellesley, the housekeeper, said walking in with the phone, "I wouldn't disturb you but he sounds rather frantic."

Will took the phone. "Yes Mr. Wistead, how can I help you?"

Lizzie could only hear Will's side of the conversation, but his facial expressions and what she heard made her concerned.

"What is it?" Lizzie asked.

"Kyle."

"The driver?"

"He was supposed to be on holiday last week and he didn't come back to work. Today's the second day he missed." Darcy explained.

"That doesn't sound like Kyle."

"Wistead said he called the family and they haven't seen or heard from him in a week and a half. He called his Mum and said he wasn't going to make it home eleven days ago. That's the last anyone has heard of him. The police traced his mobile to…here. That's why Wistead called. To give us a heads…" Will trailed off as he looked out the still-open doors. "Oh God."

He ran out the door, Lizzie, the butler and Winston on his heels. Lizzie noticed he was running towards a familiar black sedan.

"Kyle!" Will shouted.

"Sir." Winston grabbed his arm. "Stay back, let me."

The bodyguard tried all the doors, which were locked, and banged loudly on the windows. Then he pulled out his gun. "Are you sure this is the vehicle?"

"Yes." Will nodded.

By now, Frank had made his way out, and grabbing a tool bag out of the big black suburban the bodyguards rode in, he began to try to open the passenger's side door. In a few seconds, the door popped open. The first thing Will noticed - and it is something he was sure he'd never forget - was the smell. It was putrid, Will felt his insides churn and Lizzie's grip on his arm was painful.

"Is he…" Lizzie trailed off, her face white as a sheet.

"Best if you both stay back." Winston ordered, holding a hand over his mouth. "Sir, it's best if you get inside and tell the authorities to hurry here."

All of a sudden, a pale, blood-covered fell out of the open door into view. Thankfully, the rest of the body was still hidden in the car. Wellesley lost his lunch and so did Lizzie. Intense, deep breaths and sheer obstinacy kept Darcy's stomach contents contained.

"Sir." Winston looked at him, stern and concerned. "It is best if you all get back inside. This'll be a spectacle for the press, and your Ladyship needs assistance. So does your butler."

"I am recovered, sir." Wellesley said. "I will go in and have Abigail get some water, tea and crackers. I shall also call the authorities."

"And then you and Abby will take the rest of today and tomorrow off. Once the police are done, go home." Will nodded, forcing his nausea away.

Lizzie refused to go anywhere further than the front stoop, so they sat there together, in utter shock, waiting for the police, the press, and the mayhem that was surely on its way. Will was not surprised to see Inspectors Austen and Roberts arrive shortly after the first responders. He was pleasantly surprised to see that they had ordered a press barrier, and while he knew the cameras were still clicking away, they weren't in his or Lizzie's face, which was the one bright spot of the whole situation.

"So…was he your driver for the day?" Roberts asked.

"No. For almost a year now, Charles and I have used Kyle Eastwyn as a driver almost exclusively. He was respectful, responsible, punctual and honest. He was working at the car service to pay for medical school so we would over-tip him constantly." Will explained. "He is…was…such a good kid. I haven't used him in almost a month."

"And you, Miss Bennet?" Austen asked, addressing Lizzie, who seemed off in space. "Did you call for his services?"

Lizzie looked at him curiously, as if processing that he was really speaking to her. She shook her head, clearing her mind. "I apologize. I'm just…shocked. No, I haven't used him in nearly a month, either. I just…I can't believe he is gone." Lizzie burned her face in Will's shoulder, crying softly. She almost never lost it, but despite all her strength, this was something Lizzie just could not handle with any equanimity. Will wasn't much more coherent, so the Inspectors stuck to general, easy questions for the moment. As they talked, an officer walked over to the two inspectors with an evidence bag.

Roberts read the note inside and sighed. "I think you two need to see this."

Will took the bag and read the note:

Secrets, secrets are no fun

Secrets, secrets kill someone

I would not run away again

Or next time it'll be more than a friend

Will handed the bag back before he accidentally crushed the note in his fury. "What the hell? How does that bastard know what we are doing? Why is he doing this?"

"He doesn't know." Lizzie looked up, "He knows we went away but he doesn't know why."

"So at least we can rule out a few people." Will sighed. "I just…my Lord…"

"Why did you leave?" Inspector Austen asked.

"Can we…go inside?" Will looked around, trying to keep his head but this was all too much. The inspector nodded and the group settled into the study on the first floor. The Darcys recounted their wedding and the honeymoon and the few people who knew the truth.

"So whoever this is, my gut says it's not a stalker." Inspector Roberts sighed. "It may be someone close to you, but not as close as the family members you had at your wedding."

"What?" Lizzie asked, incredulous. "I don't believe it."

"Unfortunately, your Ladyship, in situations likes this, it is almost always someone you know." Roberts explained. "Start from the beginning and tell me everything that has happened."

"From the beginning of the day?" Lizzie asked.

"No. We're missing something. Start from the first time you remember feeling like you were being followed, or a few days before that." Roberts took out a tape recorder and looked at the couple expectantly.

It took hours for both Lizzie and Darcy to answer all the detectives' questions. They were so emotionally drained, they went straight to bed and Will held his wife while she cried herself to sleep. Later that night, Lizzie woke to the sound of pure anguish coming from the direction of their bathroom. Will had been so strong all day; she knew it had to be her husband letting out the emotions he had held in check for hours. She opened the door to see Will sitting on the floor, leaning against the bathtub, sobbing.

"Will." Her heart broke for him and she slid down next to him and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry, my love." Lizzie said softly. There weren't words to make this better, but it still needed to be said.

"You know Kyle loved Westham? He was a diehard footballer. And West End musicals. He used to say he was a walking conundrum." Will sighed, slowly getting his emotions under control. "I'm sorry."

"Will, anyone who has gone through what you have this last month deserves to show some emotion. You are not a robot." She pulled him close. "Can we go to Pemberley? And invite Jane and Charles to come stay with us? I need my sister and I think you could use some time with Charles."

"We could invite them up for a couple of weeks before the wedding as a sort of escape." Will nodded. "And we will leave London the day after tomorrow for Pemberley. I'll leave word with the inspectors on how to reach us."

Lizzie laid her head on his shoulder. "I love that plan."

Three weeks later, Jane and Charles did indeed join them at Pemberley. Jane was the first to arrive, in Charles's car, as he still had a few more meetings in London and would be back with Darcy in the morning. Lizzie had not been happy to see Will off that morning, but it was mitigated by being able to spend an entire day with her sister again.

"Lizzie, I think after Christmas Charles and I are going to move." Jane sighed as the sisters sat on the back porch of Pemberley staring out at the grounds. "I dearly love Mama, but I think three miles is much too close."

Lizzie almost began to tease her sister, but thought better of it. Doing something that would definitely hurt their mother was hard enough on Jane as it was. "So, where were you thinking of going?"

"I don't know. I mean, my job is in London and so is Charles's. So I think we will live there until we decide to start a family, then we will go house hunting I guess." Jane explained. "So, _your Ladyship_, how do you like _your _house? Or should I say, houses?"

"The London townhouse is nice and convenient. But I'm beginning to think that Pemberley is my favorite place in the world." Lizzie grinned. "Will closed it to the public our first week here and let me get acquainted with the staff and house and because we just…needed time."

"Understandable. You've had a rough few months. I have to tell you, my room is lovely." Jane smiled. "And this house…Lizzie, you are living in a castle."

"It's weird, isn't it? I think the honeymoon helped me adjust the best. We stayed in these incredible places and Will spent whatever he wanted on anything he wanted. And I kind of did too. But I've already told you about all of that, so let's talk about you. Have Caroline and Louisa been good to you?"

"Well, Louisa and I had a big heart to heart and now she is the most wonderful person. I really think we can truly grow as close as sisters. You know, she's filing for divorce in January and she seems genuinely happy. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. With the wedding plans and Mama and you being out of the country for three weeks…I do not blame you, Lizzie, you've had your own share of drama. It's just been so nice to have Louisa there." Jane grinned.

"And Caroline?" Lizzie had a hard time imagining Louisa being _nice_, but thought it might be possible. Caroline, however, was the most underhanded, insincere person on the planet.

"Caroline spends a lot of time in London or in her room talking to her boyfriend in Paris. I think…she's coming around. Caroline is always kind to me but I think she and Louisa are fighting."

"And with Louisa being your sister-in-law in shining armor, you haven't seen much of Caroline." Lizzie nodded. "So…is she happy?"

"You know, ever since she started dating Henri, she seems much happier. I hope to meet him soon, but if not, I'm sure he'll be at the wedding."

Lizzie was shocked. "You haven't met him? I would think Caroline would be parading him around." For Caroline not to be showing off her boyfriend was very odd and out of character.

"People do crazy things when they're in love." Jane laughed.

Something about that was still bugging Lizzie, but she shook it off. "Well, we need to get inside and plan our day. The boys will be back tomorrow at lunch and we will get very little shopping done when they return with Georgiana and Rick in tow."

The sisters had a delightful dinner and planned their entire day white sitting in the very comfortable living room watching horrible romantic comedies and making fun of them. Finally, Lizzie and Jane were both yawning, so Lizzie suggested they make their way upstairs.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" Jane offered.

"No. I am going to have to get used to Will being gone sometimes. At least it is only for one night." Lizzie stretched. "Remember, you only need to ring if you need anything. One of the staff will help you."

Lizzie made her way into her room and was surprised to see Sara in there, pressing a few of the garments that would need to be sent to Netherfield for the wedding.

"Sara? What are you doing here this late? Shouldn't you be home with Sam?" Lizzie asked, concerned.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came up here to get some work done. My mother is watching Sam, who is sleeping peacefully. I figured you'd be up late with your sister, but I did have them make up the bed in here for you." Sara explained.

"Thank you." Lizzie smiled. "Now go home and get some sleep. And don't come in tomorrow. Keep your mobile on but consider tomorrow a telecommuting day."

"Thank you, my Lady. Goodnight." Sara grinned and bounded out.

Once she was ready for bed, Lizzie stood looking at the large bed in her room. She hadn't slept in that bed a single night since they were married. Honestly, she needed her husband's presence, even if it was only the faint scent of soap and cologne he left on the pillow. Lizzie padded through the secret door and climbed into his side of the bed. She drifted off quickly but did not sleep well, tossing and turning and waking often.

Around 3 AM, Will crept quietly into his room. He sat on the side of their bed and brushed a stray hair off her face. He bent down to kiss her gently and Lizzie responded immediately and deepened the kiss. Will pulled away and looked at her some more.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I did not want to wake you."

"I wasn't exactly getting a good night's rest." She smiled, "You are not supposed to be here until after lunch tomorrow…or well, today."

"I moved all my meetings and finished all my work. There may come a time in our marriage where I can spend a night away from you, but I'm not there yet. Charles – bless his soul – rode with me and we alternated driving and napping." Will explained, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you have a good girl's night, my love?"

"It was good but…weird. Jane and I will always be the best of friends, but now our time and affections must be shared and we both know it. It's like…she's still part of the Bennet family circus and I…" Lizzie tried to put her feelings into words. "I'm too sleepy to talk about this. I just need you to hold me."

"Gladly, but you are on _my_ side of the bed." He pointed out.

"Just suck it up and get in. I want to go back to sleep." She smiled. "I'm not moving."

Will sighed and kicked off his shoes, climbing into bed and pulling her close. Suddenly, Lizzie squealed loudly and moved away from him violently.

"What?" Will asked, concerned.

Lizzie blushed. "Your feet are _freezing_. You don't think I woke anyone, do you?"

"Possibly Charles, but he probably isn't asleep yet." He chuckled and pulled her close. "Go to sleep, love. We have a busy few weeks ahead of us."

The two weeks Jane and Charles spent at Pemberley could almost be considered blissful. There were almost no wedding issues, no Caroline vs. Louisa drama, and most importantly for the Darcy's, it marked more than a month since they'd heard anything from their stalker. The estate seemed like a safe haven, and Lizzie truly had no desire to leave her comfortable, safe home.

"Well, we have two choices Lizzie. We can pack everything you own and do laundry a lot over the next three months, or…" Sara trailed off, letting Lizzie reach the conclusion on her own.

"I have to go shopping. I'll be away until January, but I'll need to leave something here in case we come home for a weekend or something…" Lizzie sighed. She still had a hard time wrapping her head around how astronomically wealthy she was now.

"Forgive me, but if I were as…fortunate as you, I would think you would enjoy shopping." Sara pointed out.

"I do…I just…remember, I came form a thoroughly middle class family. We shopped, yes, but we were bargain hunters." Lizzie shook her head. "Spending the money I need to spend on my clothes…I'm just not over the sticker shock yet."

"I know. But you have a very good sense of style…perhaps if we took baby steps?" Sara suggested.

"Baby steps?" Lizzie echoed, confused.

Sara nodded. "Stores like Zara, and online places like Mod Cloth, where you can get high quality, unique things for a more reasonable price than designers. Then you can still feel like a bargain hunter but still get things that the press will appreciate or ignore."

"That's what I'll do during the car ride. I'll shop. I just hate that we have to spend so much time away from Pemberley." Lizzie tossed a few more items onto the settee. "I'd love to spend Christmas here."

"Perhaps next year, when the public knows you are married." Sara suggested. "How long will you be in Hertfordshire?"

"Four weeks. Two before the wedding, two after, though Jane doesn't know that. She thinks she's coming back from her honeymoon to an empty house." Lizzie smiled an paused. "Speaking of…can you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

"This is one of those 'please don't tell my husband' favors."

Sara sighed. "Tell me what it is. Though I don't recommend keeping things from your spouse."

Lizzie bit her lip, thinking of how best to put this. "Well, you know when I was attacked, they asked us if we knew anyone who might not want us to get married badly enough to do something like that. We both thought of his aunt, but I also thought of Caroline Bingley. She…she was never in love with Will but she desperately wanted to be Countess of Devon and Mistress of Pemberley. In fact, I'm pretty sure that was her plan."

"So…not your biggest fan."

"No. And she's supposedly moved on and fallen head over heels for this French model so Will's just…dismissed her as a culprit."

Sara studied her boss. "You don't think so?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that no one, I mean _no one_, has ever met him. She has three pictures of him and they're only in one together. Even when Will and I were a secret, I had dozens of photos of us. And I made sure my entire family had met him, even if they didn't know the extent of our relationship." Lizzie paced. "Something about that whole situation feels…off."

"Why don't you want to tell his Lordship?"

"Because it may all come to nothing. I don't really think she was involved in my attack but my gut tells me that something is _off_ with that woman."

"What do you want me to do? I'll be here three weeks and then I'll be in London." Sara pointed out.

"Investigate. I'll try to learn more and text you and you just Google or Facebook stalk or something. Nothing serious, just…precautionary. And I promise, if for any reason we find something suspicious, I'll tell Will immediately."

Sara nodded. "Deal."

The drive to London seemed much longer than the drive to Pemberley had been. Lizzie was sure it was because she was leaving the place that, in six short weeks, had become _home_.

"You're very quiet, Lizzie." Will remarked. His usually vivacious wife had been unusually subdued. "Is something wrong?"

"No…not really." Lizzie sighed. "Is it always going to feel like this? Leaving Pemberley?"

"Yes. Because Pemberley has privacy, safety, space, all our stuff…we have a full staff and every comfort and amenity. Plus, it's Pemberley. It's my second favorite place in the world." Will said.

Lizzie looked at him curiously. "Second favorite? What on Earth is your favorite, then?"

"Anywhere you are, of course." He replied, and Lizzie burst out laughing.

"That might be the cheesiest thing you have _ever_ said to me." Lizzie giggled and took his hand.

"Oh, I don't know, I think I could manage a bit more cheese." Will grinned, happy to see her smile and laugh. He sobered quickly, however. "But…seriously, speaking of safety…I'm not trying to Lord over you or anything, but you cannot go running by yourself while we are away from Pemberley. I would die if anything were to happen to you."

Lizzie nodded. "I promise to take Winston or Frank with me. On one condition."

Will looked at her, concerned. "What is that?"

"You have to be my running buddy sometimes."

"I'll try. But you know how the last few runs have ended." Will grinned.

Lizzie laughed, glad her husband was learning to tease. "I still think that one of the funniest things you have ever said to me happened on a run."

"Oh?"

"Oh yes. I believe you said…" Lizzie beamed and straightened herself up to do her best 'serious Darcy' impression. "Ehem. 'Lizzie, I know of another exertion that would be just as beneficial and much more pleasurable for the body.' And we promptly went home and put that theory to the test."  
"That was more desperate than funny." Will shook his head.

"Yes, but you were trying so hard to say it with such calm detachment…" Lizzie laughed at the memory. "I would like us to work past that and be able to go on proper runs together."

"Or we could just shorten the runs and get our exercise another way." He shrugged, nonchalant and Lizzie burst out laughing again.


	19. Chapter 19

Author's note: Thank you everyone who has stuck with me so far, we're almost there. Just a few more chapters to go. This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I'll eventually do a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!" so if you read that now, it might not make too much sense. I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 19

Lizzie and Darcy spent three nice, but extremely hectic, days in London before heading down to Netherfield for the wedding. Caroline, Louisa, and Charles were all very welcoming. Lizzie was happy to find that the only insincere smile was on Caroline's face. She did crack a real smile, however, when showing them to their rooms. Lizzie's room was about as far away from Darcy's room as possible. Will made a mental note of Lizzie's room location, they'd be using that room as his was entirely too close to Caroline's.

Charles, however, had other plans. "Don't worry." He whispered to the couple. "I'm having the staff move your things to your _real_ room. It's the big guest suite at the end of the hall."

Lizzie grinned at him. "Thanks Chuck."

Charles rolled his eyes. "No problem, Lizard."

"Charles! If you are incessantly whispering in our guests' ears, how _will_ they know when dinner is to be served?" Caroline demanded.

"Sorry." Charles said and flushed a bit pink.

"So, Caroline, when will Henri get here? I hear so much of him from Jane and I know everyone is dying to meet him." Lizzie asked innocently.

"He will be here for the wedding." Caroline shrugged.

Will shot his wife a warning look, which Lizzie completely ignored. Once they were settled and their things discretely moved, they went to Longbourn for dinner. It had been a long time – nearly three months – since Lizzie had seen her family. Lydia was clearly showing, though she was surprisingly small for being well into her second trimester, and her pregnancy had sobered her considerably. Mr. Bennet was still rather distant and Mrs. Bennet was still a little crazy, but had calmed considerable knowing that two daughters had and were marrying _very, very _well. The biggest change had to be Mary and Kitty. Now that Lydia was on house arrest and planning her new life as a single mother, Kitty and Mary had grown closer, to the benefit of both. Kitty had become less flighty and more apt to say something intelligent, and learning a little charm had softened Mary's sermonizing and her appearance had been greatly improved. Fortunately for the couple, Mrs. Bennet had several months to get over the surprise of the elopement and was happily dreaming of her daughter's _real_ wedding in February, which would be spectacular.

"It's weird…being here and knowing that I don't live here anymore." Lizzie sighed, looking around her old room. Her somewhat nomadic existence as a University student left her adept at living more than one place. That, combined with their marriage and move happening so fast, she had barely registered leaving Longbourn for good.

"You know…" Will smiled, wrapping his arms around her. "This is the first time I've ever been in your room."

"You have…no…you really haven't." Lizzie shook her head, thinking about over the time they spent together in Hertfordshire. "We spent most of our time at Netherfield or out of doors."

"You know, we missed our anniversary."

"How could we have missed our anniversary when we are getting married on it in a few months." Lizzie turned in his arms to look at him, confused.

"Yes, but we met for the first time in October last year. About three days ago, I think." He explained. "And it's been a wonderful year."

"Indeed." She put her arms around his neck. "And pray tell, Mr. Darcy, am I still only 'acceptable'?"

"On no, Mrs. Darcy, I do not find you acceptable at all. I think you are…exquisite." Will leaned in to kiss her. Lizzie deepened the kiss and began undoing the buttons on his shirt, easily pushing it off. Lizzie's cardigan had joined his shirt on the floor and the tank top was on its way off when the door flew open. The startled couple turned to see Jane Bennet, red faced, come in and slam the door and sink down against it, closing her eyes and sighing.

"Jane?" Lizzie asked tentatively, frozen in place, her fingers on her husband's belt.

Jane's eyes flew open, and, though it didn't seem possible, her face turned an even darker shade of red. "Oh my…I'm so sorry."

Will released the edges of Lizzie's tank, allowing it to fall back down and busied himself with finding his shirt and trying to hide his own blush. Lizzie, he knew, was embarrassed, but was determined not to show it as she joined her sister on the floor, straightening her tank top as she did so.

"Janie, what's wrong?" Lizzie asked.

"You two _really_ need to lock the door." Jane shook her head, a fresh sob breaking through her attempt at humor. "I can't do it, Lizzie. I can't."

"Oh Jane!" Lizzie exclaimed, hugging her sister. "What's wrong? Is there something we can do to help?"

"I wish it _were_ just one thing. Mama isn't happy with the menu, the centerpieces, the flowers, my dress, my veil, the size of the guest list, and the musicians. I asked for a string quartet, Mama thinks I need a full chamber orchestra, nothing is big enough or expensive enough for her." Jane sobbed. "I blame you! You won't let her near your wedding plans and you eloped so it isn't really a wedding anyway. And Lydia is never going to have a big white wedding now so she's putting as much energy into my wedding as should put in three!"

Darcy had _never_ heard Jane speak like that to Lizzie. The most he'd ever seen was a look of questioning, never outright blame.

Lizzie felt her heart break. "I'm sorry, Janie. We're being selfish, happily ensconced at Pemberley, and I keep forgetting that you are feeling the brunt of Mama."

"Lizzie…" Will began, but a look from his wife silenced him on that vein, so he tried another tactic. "Jane, it is _your_ wedding. You can say no."

"I'm pretty sure she's up here crying because she feels like all she ever says is 'no'." Lizzie sighed. "Maybe if I talked to her, let her pick out some flowers or something for my wedding…"

Darcy shook his head. "Lizzie, do not compromise. I have a plan, I'll take care of it all." Why on Earth were weddings so stressful?

"It's okay, Will." Jane wiped her eyes. "I'll talk to her. It is _my_ wedding."

"It is my understanding that with weddings, the bride's word is law. You obviously have good taste, I cannot fathom anyone objecting to your ideas." Will furrowed his brow. "Just…hold off on talking to her until after dinner. I still think I can solve this."

Lizzie smiled at her husband gratefully. "I'll go talk to her, she's been wanting to tell me off for months. Maybe once that's out of her system, she'll be easier to deal with."

"Mama, can I have a word with you? In private?" Lizzie asked her mother.

"What? Are _you_ pregnant? Is that why you eloped without telling me of the plans until I arrived at the church?" Agatha Bennet's voice was icy.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Mama. Surely Papa has explained why we did what we did." Lizzie sighed.

"Yes, your father explained how you didn't trust me."

"Mama, that's not it at all. I knew you wouldn't approve of me eloping, and for the record I am _not_ pregnant, so I didn't tell you because I didn't want to have to argue with you about why I didn't want to wait for the big, fancy wedding in February." Lizzie explained. "Will and I were already talking about eloping before I was attacked, and afterwards, we decided we needed to get away, but we didn't want to spend three weeks on the continent without being married. It just…it all happened very fast, Mama. I probably should have told you all of this earlier, and I am very sorry for that."

Mrs. Bennet seemed somewhat mollified.

Lizzie took a deep breath. "And now, Mama, about…Jane."

"Your sister is going to be the death of me. She _refuses_ to let this affair be what it ought. I will _not_ have my daughter's wedding upstaged by Caroline Bingley a year from now!" Agatha crossed her arms.

Lizzie sighed, understanding the problem now. "Honestly, Mama, we don't even know if the mysterious Henri is real. Besides, Caroline Bingley's wedding will be trashier than a Hollywood socialite's. It will be expensive, yes, but it will be frightfully tacky and not remotely elegant. And that's _if_ this circus of a wedding ever even happens. Look at Caroline, she's practically plastic, looks like she's starving, and constantly wears these hideous, overpriced, orange garments. If she were to gain ten or fifteen pounds and go easier on the Botox, she might be quite pretty. But she takes everything just a step too far. She's too skinny, too sculpted, too concerned with her looks to ever attract a friendly, decent person."

"Do you think I'd plan a tacky wedding? Is that why you won't let me near your plans?"

"No, Mama. I know you were swamped doing things for Jane and it's so far away in Derbyshire. Will's Aunt Rose has no daughters and she's right next door to us. I just figured that the best person to plan the wedding of a Lord was someone who was already a Lady. She's familiar with Pemberley and honestly, I'm not even doing that much planning for it. I know you would never plan a tacky wedding, why else would Jane and I have such good taste? But you also don't know Caroline like we do. So you can't worry about her, Mama."

Will knocked on the door and entered the room where his wife and mother-in-law were.

"Sorry. Lizzie, do you think, after dinner, we can go over some of the wedding plans with your mother and Jane and send them to my Aunt? Jane's been telling me all the ideas they had and I really think she could do something with them." He said, smiling.

Agatha Bennet beamed. "If you want I can just email her the wedding binder. Thomas helped me make it digital. It's so convenient."

Will smiled. "I would love that. Also, Mary says dinner is here."

Lizzie beamed at her husband behind her mother's back. No wonder his advisors all wanted him to run for PM, he was a brilliant politician. Mrs. Bennet bustled off to make sure everything was perfect and Will offered his arm to his wife.

"Have a good chat?" He asked.

"I think what you just said soothed her more than yelling at me for ten minutes did." Lizzie sighed. "Still, thanks for being my Knight."

Dinner went smoothly, wonderfully, even. Now that Mrs. Bennet had gotten her anger out with Lizzie and Will had smoothed all the wedding wrinkles with some well-placed flattery. In the middle of dinner, Darcy got a phone call and excused himself. When he came back in, he had a grave look on his face. "Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet, may we have a moment in private?"

"Has something happened?" Agatha Bennet asked, worried. "Is Charles okay?"

"Nothing like that Ma'am." Darcy shook his head. "Just a legal matter from the wedding that needs to be seen to immediately. No reason it should disturb all of our dinner. We'll only be five minutes."

Lizzie got up and made her way into the library with her husband and father.

"What's really going on?" She asked.

"Louisa spotted a man skulking around Netherfield. Frank investigated and he did find a lens cap. It's most likely a member of the paparazzi, this close to the wedding, but there is a chance it might be our stalker." Will explained. "I'll let you decide what to tell your family, sir. But Elizabeth, you cannot go running outside."

Lizzie crossed her arm. "What! Isn't that why you hired me a body guard who can run?"

"Lizzie, my dear, I agree. If you were in London, on a very public running path with your bodyguard, it would be different. But you're not. Most of the homes out here are farms, there's miles between people." Mr. Bennet said gently.

"No one minded when I went running at Pemberley." She argued.

"Because I have security _staff_ at Pemberley and the entire property is gated with motion sensors and CCTV." Darcy threw up his hands. "Just while we are here. That's all."

"I know you _hate_ it when people tell you what to do, but in this, you need to listen."

Will took her hands. "I'm not above begging, if that's what you need to convince you, I'll happily beg."

Lizzie threw up her hands in frustration. "I can't fight you both. But, for the record, I am not happy with either of you."

"So long as you are alive to be mad at us, I don't care." Will said sincerely.

With Jane's wedding crisis handled and the rest of the family being extra careful of the "paparazzi", the two weeks before the wedding flew by. Lizzie had taken to running al over the house to work out since she wasn't allowed to go on runs. On her treks, she kept seeing Caroline in an odd part of the house, far away from everything, supposedly on the phone with Henri. But three days from the wedding, there was no Henri in sight. What Sara had found was only mildly suspicious and circumstantial at that. Something about the whole situation was really bugging Lizzie.

"Anything, Sara?" She asked, pacing.

"No ma'am. No photos, nothing on any social media sites, but there is barely even a mention of Caroline in the papers, ever. She's not exactly famous. The most suspicious thing she's done is disappearing to the area of the house where no one is." Sara reported.

"But what about Henri? I mean, he's a model."

"Yes, but he is rarely seen off the runway or his photo shoots. If she is making this up, she picked the right guy to fake it with." Sara said. "What does Mr. Darcy think?"

"I haven't told him. We don't have anything concrete."

"About what?" Will asked, standing in the door. "Lizzie, are you…investigating Caroline?"

"No, I mean, I'm looking into a few things but I wouldn't say I'm _investigating_ her." Lizzie replied and turned her attention back to the phone. "Sara, I'll call you later."

"So what, exactly, _are_ you doing?" He crossed his arms.

"Something funny is going on around here and so I'm having Sara look into anything suspicious." Lizzie shrugged. "We've found a lot of circumstantial things but nothing that would link Caroline with the stalker or with anything else sketchier than making up a boyfriend."

"I thought we agreed she wasn't a suspect."

"No. You don't think she's a suspect. I know she's hiding something, I'm just not sure what it is yet."

"And you don't think your mutual animosity is coloring your judgment at all?"

"Of course it is. But my gut says she's up to something and I trust my gut." Lizzie threw up her hands in frustration.

Will scoffed. "It was wrong about George. It was wrong about me."

"Maybe it wasn't that wrong about you, Fitzwilliam. You're still so…arrogant!" She glared at him. "No one else can be right and you can never be wrong. Your judgment is always perfect. I'm going home. Don't you _dare_ follow me."

Lizzie left and slammed the door, he could hear her telling Frank she needed a ride. Will sank into the chair. It always amazed him how deep she could cut him. If they fought this bad after a few months of marriage, how would they be in years? He needed a drink, badly. Charles kept his wet bar well stocked, but the good stuff was hiding in a small bar in the billiard room, so that's where Darcy went. He was surprised to see Louisa Hurst (or Bingley?) sitting at the high round with a large glass of what appeared to be whiskey.

"Sorry. I didn't think anyone would be in here." Will said.

"Nonsense. It's bad taste to drink alone and whatever fight you had, you really need a drink." Louisa smiled. "Have a seat, Darcy."

"Thanks. Did you hear…"

"No. Not the fight. Lizzie was yelling at Frank down the stairs on their way out. She was very upset and I think he made the mistake of suggesting she talk to you."

"Poor Frank." Darcy sighed. "I…what if we fight all the time?"

"I _wish_ John and I had fought. You know what the marriage counselor said when we were doing pre-divorce counseling? He'd never seen a couple so apathetic about each other. He was amazed we'd ever gotten enough affection up to marry each other." Louisa took a long drink. "You don't know how luck you are."

"I know I'm lucky to have her, even if she infuriates me."

"But that's just it, Darcy. She brings out your emotions – strong ones at that. I feel like…if John or I could dredge up enough feelings to be angry with each other our marriage could have been saved."

"So…fighting is good?"

"Not all the time. But when you are passionate about each other, emotions can run very high. The feelings of anger are sometimes just part of that passion. I imagine the makeup sex if pretty good, too."

Darcy didn't say a word.

Louisa smiled. "Exactly. You guys are passionate and headstrong, so arguments are bound to happen. I could have walked down the street naked and the only feeling John would have would be 'the neighbors will think we're crazy'. I tried my sister's method, the method I used to land John in the first place, to keep him happy but it only drove him to drink more. It drove me to drink. I'm glad my brother is marrying for the right reasons. You and Lizzie married for the right reasons."

Will almost spit out his drink. "You know?"

"Jane told me on accident. Then she made me swear not to tell it to another soul, especially not Caroline." Louisa took another swig. "Not that we talk anymore. Or ever did, really."

"What do you mean?" Will asked. It was so strange for him, thinking about sisters who never really talked. He was so close to Georgiana and Lizzie was so close to Jane that the idea seemed foreign.

"Nah. Caroline talked _at_ me and she was always the one that people liked, I sort of followed her ideas. John was the same way, he is from that same ilk of keeping up appearances at all costs. So, be as skinny as you can, wear as much designer clothing as you can, never have a hair our of place…know the right people…it's not a life, it's a checklist."

"Well, as your almost brother-in-law, let me tell you something. Right now, you look like you are happy. And I'll tell you what; I've never seen you look prettier than you have looked lately. And Jane thinks the world of you, which makes Lizzie like you better and now you remind me of the Louisa I actually liked, the girl from University who could drink every frat boy under the table and still make it to class the next morning."

"Hey, I still can." Louisa grinned and they clinked glasses. "Thanks, Darce."

"Thank you for listening." Darcy smiled and they tossed back the last of their drinks.

"Now, go get some rest. All of this will look better in the morning."

Jane woke her sister up as she set a tray of breakfast on the bed. Lizzie looked awful – her eyes were red and puffy and her hair and clothes were a rumpled mess.

"Good morning, sister dear." Jane smiled, pouring cream into two coffees. "Tell me what happened."

"I said the most horrible things to my husband. What if we always fight? Maybe this marriage wasn't such a great idea. I mean…how could I be so cruel to the man I love so much?"

"I find the hurt is deeper when we love someone, so sometimes our anger is greater."

"Yeah, like you and Chuck have ever fought." Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"We don't, usually, it isn't in our nature. But we have had one big fight." Jane sighed.

Lizzie looked at her sister, shocked. "Like an actual yell and say hurtful things fight?"

"Yes."

"No!"

"December 12th. I had cooked him dinner and he was really quiet so I asked him what was wrong…"

_"Jane…what are we doing?" Charles asked._

_"Having a nice dinner?" Jane looked confused. "Charles, something is bothering you, please talk to me."_

_"It's been a great couple of months and all…but are we going anywhere?"_

_"You should know me well enough to know that I wouldn't be dating you if I didn't think this might." Jane crossed her arms. "Do you think we're going anywhere?"_

_Charles looked relieved. "I do. It's just…Darcy and my sisters were worried that you weren't as invested in this as I am."_

_Jane's face fell. "They think I'm after your money."_

_"No! No! They just…didn't want to see me hurt and weren't sure your feelings were as deep as mine." _

_"And what do you think?"_

_"I thought you felt the same for me as I feel for you…" _

_Jane looked down and the looked back at him, fire in her eyes. "So, you don't trust your own judgment?"_

_"They were only looking out for me! Can you blame them for that?" Charles exclaimed._

_"Normal people consider the advice of their friends on business transactions and decisions on what kind of curtains to hang, NOT on the feelings of their own heart!" _

_"It is not wrong to listen to those with more experience!"_

_"Yes, because a socially awkward elitist, a bad marriage and mercenary motives are such great judges when it comes to relationships."_

_"Do not insult my family!"_

_"They have insulted me! So have you! And it isn't an insult if it is the truth! You are 27 years old, Charles! It is time you started taking charge of your own life. Until you do, I don't want to see you."_

"Did you really call Will a socially awkward elitist?" Lizzie had her hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle.

"Yes. I truly was only angry at him for listening so much to the advice of others that he did not consult his own heart."

"I feel a bit better about fighting with my husband. But his…officious interference with you and Charles!"

"I think his motives were very sincere. I am not angry with Will, nor should you be, for you would give me the same advice in a similar situation." Jane took her hand. "Dear one, fights happen. What is it that Aunt Maggie says? It's what you do after the fight that truly matters."

"You're right, of course." Lizzie sighed.

"Go talk to him." Jane said.

"We have to leave in 30 minutes for the spa. I will not allow any part of your day to be ruined by my stupidity." Lizzie shook her head.

"Lizzie, it's only a spa. This is your marriage, it is important."

"I will send Will a note. He's probably out riding anyway. I promise, dear sister, that we will be back to our disgustingly happy married selves by dinner."

"I accept your compromise. Now get moving, we have a busy day."


	20. Chapter 20

Author's note: Thank you everyone who has stuck with me so far, we're almost there. Just one more chapter after this. The story has now been completely rewritten. I'll eventually do a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!" so if you read that now, it might not make too much sense. I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a _Midsummer Night's Dream,_ and _Hamlet_. This chapter also includes the lovely Sonnet 145.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 20

Netherfield was eerily quiet for being the morning before the wedding. Caroline was in London getting her hair done and Louisa was getting the house ready for guests. Darcy and Richard were scheduled to take Charles to lunch in about an hour, but neither Charles nor Rick was awake yet.

"Sir, from Miss Elizabeth." The butler handed him a letter. Darcy opened it quickly, wondering why she was sending him a letter.

_My darling husband,_

_I have not your skill in writing letters, so please bear with me. I must say but I can't let our drama mess with Jane and Charles in any way. We ladies are off to the spa this morning and I will spend the hours thinking about you and missing you. I find I no longer like sleeping alone, and I certainly hate waking up without you. I should have been more forthcoming with you about my suspicions. I still think Caroline is up to something and I am going to continue have Sara check on anything suspicious. I should have told you from the beginning and I am very sorry I did not. Yes, my animosity towards her does color my opinion, but shouldn't we look into anyone we haven't cleared as a suspect? My guy has been wrong before but with you and Wickham, I merely went with it, I didn't bother to check facts, which is what I am trying to do now. You are not arrogant, my love, and I know you are not used to having someone question the judgments you make. They are almost always right, but do not think that I am ever going to give up questioning you; it would be bad for your ego and mine. I will be at Netherfield at 3 o'clock to get ready for the rehearsal. Please be there, my love, so I may apologize in person._

_ Your affectionate wife,_

_ Lizzie_

_p.s. _

_I love you_

Will reread the letter, happy she had reached out to him. Three couldn't come fast enough, they really needed to talk. They had both been right. He should not have dismissed her suspicions and she should have told him about investigating Caroline.

"Darcy? You coming?" Richard asked, startling his cousin.

"Yes. Sorry." Will folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

"What were you reading? And where is Lizzie? I haven't seen her all morning." Richard asked.

"She spent the night at Longbourn with Jane. She'll be back when the girls are done at the spa." Darcy explained. "Get Bingley in the car. I need to do something before we go."

Lizzie tried to relax as she and her sisters, her aunt, and her mother were pampered from head to toe, but she was having a hard time. She had now gone almost nineteen hours without seeing Will or talking to him. It was the longest they had gone since they were married and it was killing her. As hey were getting pedicures, the spa attendant brought her a letter.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" She asked. "This was just delivered for you."

Lizzie took the letter, taken aback a moment for being addressed with her maiden name. She noticed Will's handwriting on the front and ripped it open.

_My dearest Elizabeth,_

_I will first tell you that I drank heavily last night and still could not fall asleep. My hangover was nothing to the heartache I felt waking up alone. I used to be so independent, I didn't need anyone, and now I realize what a horrible and lonely life I was living before you. The boys are waiting on me so I must make this quick. I'm sorry I didn't really listen about Caroline. You are right; we should investigate everyone we aren't sure of, regardless of our feelings. As usual, I turn to the Bard, for my words are insufficient to express what I long to say to you. Did you know he wrote our story?_

_"Those lips that Love's own hand did make, Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate' To me that languish'd for her sake; But when she saw my woeful state, Straight in her heart did mercy come, Chiding that tongue that ever sweet Was used in giving gentle doom, And taught it thus anew to greet: 'I hate' she alter'd with an end, That follow'd it as gentle day Doth follow night, who like a fiend From heaven to hell is flown away; 'I hate' from hate away she threw, And saved my life, saying 'not you.'". _

_I miss you, my beautiful, darling, wonderful wife. Three o'clock cannot come soon enough for me. _

_ Your devoted husband,_

_ Will_

_p.s._

_I love you too._

"Lizzie?" Jane asked, curious as to why Lizzie had grown silent and looked as if she were about to cry.

"I'm okay Jane." Lizzie smiled. "Do you want to read it?"

"Only if you are okay with me doing so."

"Yes. There's nothing in it you don't already know and I think it'll give you a glimpse into what you are entering tomorrow."

Jane read through the letter. "Oh Lizzie. I'm glad you made up!"

Lizzie snatched the letter away and hissed. "Jane! Not too loud!" She shoved the letter into her purse.

"Lizzie! Are you and William fighting?" Agatha Bennet demanded.

"No, Mama. Jane was talking about from our first disastrous date, that's all." Lizzie covered quickly. "What time do you think we will be home today?"

"We will take as long as we need to, Lizzie. I know you don't care for this sort of thing, but it is very important."

"Yes Mama." Lizzie waved one of the attendants over. "Excuse me, can you upgrade Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner and the bride to the deluxe messages? In separate rooms?"

"Shall I add it to the tab?" The attendant asked.

"No." Lizzie pulled out a card. "Put it on this."

Jane shot her a look.

"Come on Jane. Wouldn't you like an hour-long break from Mama while getting a message?" Lizzie asked.

"It's nice of you, Lizzie, but you don't have to pay for it." Jane smiled.

"You know, I'm really paying for my own sanity. Plus, I'm loaded now. What good is money if you can't spend it on the people you care about?" It irked Lizzie to repeat the line Darcy had used to rationalize spoiling her in New York, but it _was_ true.

Lizzie left Frank with instructions to have the car ready at quarter after five so they would make it to the church at five thirty. It was almost three fifteen and she knew her ridiculously punctual husband would be freaking out and most likely pacing.

Sure enough, when she opened the door, there he was, wearing a hole in the carpet in front of the fireplace. Lizzie had to stifle a small giggle. Darcy turned and looked at her with an almost pained expression. For a moment, Lizzie thought he was still angry with her, but then he had her pinned against the door, kissing her senseless.

A little over an hour later, Lizzie woke to the sound of her phone beeping. It beeped for several minutes, but neither she nor Will was willing to detangle themselves and go stop it. After the noise woke him up, Will began pressing small, gentle kisses to her shoulder and neck.

"It's your phone." He grumbled in between kisses.

"I refuse to move unless you stop doing that." Lizzie lifted her chin to give him better access.

"I don't want to stop." He whispered. "Use your Jedi powers."

Then Will's phone went off. His was actually within reach on the nightstand, so he grabbed it and handed it to Lizzie to read as he was otherwise occupied.

"It's Jane. She says my mother has been trying to get ahold of me." Lizzie read. "Because it is 4:30 and she needs to know if Georgiana is joining us for dinner the restaurant wants a final head count."

Will ignored her and worked his way to the sensitive little spot on her neck behind her ear. Lizzie gasped and grabbed his arm. "Will, we are leaving in forty five minutes. We need to shower. I need to do something to my hair."

"I have an idea where we save time and still get to do what we want."

Lizzie squealed as he scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom. Almost an hour later, they made their way downstairs to where Georgiana and Richard were waiting. Darcy wasn't sure what was more telling, the fact that they were ten minutes later or the ridiculous grin he couldn't wipe off his face. Lizzie swore her hair gave them away, but really, he thought it looked great.

"Well, they are here." Georgiana said, mock surprised. "One would almost think you were avoiding me, Brother, Lizzie."

Will stood with his mouth open. His baby sister was clearly spending way too much time with his wife. Lizzie, more adept in awkward situations, happily hugged her sister-in-law. "Georgie, my darling, you look stunning. I spent all day at the spa with my sister, and your poor brother was feeling so neglected. It seems I managed to neglect two Darcys –"

Richard cleared his throat.

" – and a Fitzwilliam." Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Do you forgive me, dear?"

"Of course." Georgiana laughed and linked her arm through Lizzie's. "We better go. I'm pretty sure three Darcys and a Fitzwilliam showing up any more than ten minutes late is a sign of the apocalypse."

Yes, Georgiana was definitely spending too much time with Lizzie.

Mrs. Bennet had worked herself into a tizzy. Her daughter and very wealthy son-in-law were late. There were enough issues with the wedding already without a car accident or death or something messing it all up. Finally, the word came that the Darcys had arrived.

Lizzie fiddled with her hair one more time before they walked into the church. "That's as good as it's going to get."

"My love, the only person in there who will know what we've been doing doesn't need your hair to tell Him." Will whispered in her ear. "Besides, you look beautiful."

"But it won't be just the Almighty who knows. Lydia will the minute she sees me." Lizzie whispered. "You're a guy, you don't get it."

"We are married and everyone in that church knows it." Darcy pulled her close and kissed her gently. "Now, lets get in there and get this rehearsal over with. I, for one, am very tired and would be content to spend the evening in bed."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "You are insatiable."

"Only when it comes to you, Elizabeth."

She laughed. "Every time I think you can't get cheesier, you one-up yourself. Amazing."

The evening went without a hitch. Jane and Charles were glowing with anticipation and the family on the whole was happy. Mrs. Bennet was seeing another daughter married to a wealthy, important man. Kitty was flirting with Charles's single younger cousin. Mary and Georgiana were deep in conversation about music, Col. Fitzwilliam and Mr. Bennet were quietly discussing something that was probably classified, and Lydia still fit in her dress. Right after her father's rather lovely toast, Will got a call and slipped away. Once Lizzie assured herself that Thomas Bennet had recovered, she went off to find her husband. He was meandering around the gardens of the restaurant.

"Will? What's wrong?" She asked.

He didn't say a word; he just pulled her into his arms and held her for a few moments. Lizzie pulled away and studied his face.

"William, what is it?"

"They caught your attacker." Will said.

"What?" Lizzie's eyes grew large.

"His name is Ralph Gomes. He was paid ten thousand pounds to attempt to kill you and collected an additional ten pounds after the attack. He would have gotten twenty if you were more seriously hurt."

"Paid?" She stepped back. "So he was just a hired hand? Has he said who was behind it?"

Darcy looked down and took her hands. He didn't want to burden her, but she needed to know. "Wickham."

"W…Wickham?" Lizzie asked, shocked.

"Yes. Wickham hired him to do a bit of stalking and attack you. Apparently, Wickham has done a lot of the stalking himself, and paid a few homeless people to keep an ear and eye out." Darcy explained. "Inspector Roberts says they are closing in on Wickham now. I'm waiting for the call. I didn't…"

"You didn't want to disturb the party and you don't want Georgie to know." She finished for him. "But I don't understand. Wickham has _massive_ debts, and not the kind of debts you can get out of by declaring bankruptcy. That was the purpose behind that video. He needed money."

"I don't know. Hopefully we will have answers soon." Darcy shook his head. His mobile buzzed and he answered it quickly. "Yes?"

Lizzie held his hand as Will listened patiently on the phone. After saying a few words to the inspector, he hung up.

"So?" She asked.

"They got him. He's denying everything, but he is in jail and won't be getting out any time soon." Will breathed. "I should have pressed charges after what he did to Georgiana. Then none of this would have happened. Kyle would still be alive…"

"No. That was all Wickham's fault, and his fault alone. He is already facing charges because of his dealings with drugs and with Lydia and that didn't stop him." Lizzie pulled her husband in for a hug. "You are blameless, Fitzwilliam Darcy."

They were still holding each other when Mary came to find them. "Guys? Mum is beginning to wonder where you are."

"Thanks Mary. We'll be there in a second." Lizzie smiled, mussing her husband's hair.

"Why'd you do that?" Will asked.

"Would you rather they think we snuck off to make out or have super secret conversations with the police about George Wickham?"

"In that case…" Will pulled her in for a deep kiss, making sure to run his hands through her hair and mess it up a bit.

"Will!" Lizzie exclaimed.

He grinned at her and shrugged. "It was your idea."

Everything wasn't solved yet, but for the first time in months, the Darcys slept peacefully, feeling secure in the knowledge that the stalker incident would soon be behind them. Lizzie woke first, which was quite unusual. If she was considered an early riser, Darcy was freakishly so. Lazily, she stretched, trying not to wake her poor husband. Her hand felt something silky and realized it was her dress. The poor Netherfield maids! They left the room in absolute shambles yesterday and destroyed it again last night. That reminded her – Lizzie grabbed her mobile and pressed the voice memo button.

"Leave note for maids to find all the buttons for my dress." She whispered.

"I'll just buy you a new one. I'm pretty sure it's ripped beyond repair." Will mumbled sleepily.

"Why? Did you not like that dress?"

"Too much. But it was too hard to get you out of. No more button dresses." He opened his eyes and smiled sleepily at her. "Does the bridesmaid dress have buttons?"

"No. It has a zipper. I don't care about that dress after the wedding is over, but if you so much as breathe wrong on my reception dress, I will kill you. I don't have any other formal wear with me and I _love_ that dress." Lizzie made to get out of the bed but he grabbed her arm.

"Five more minutes?" Will asked.

"I'd love to, but today, Jane needs me." Lizzie kissed him gently.

"I will relinquish you on one condition."

"Okay." She sighed.

"You have to accept any gifts today without giving me _any_ grief." Darcy looked pleadingly at her.

"Fine." Lizzie sighed. "What's my present?"

"I'll give it to you later." Will grinned.

Lizzie narrowed her eyes at him. "Well played, husband. Well played."

Darcy smiled. He knew this would bug her all day long. "Go get ready. But tell the hairdresser to do your hair down. Please?"

She rolled her eyes again and kissed him. "See you in a bit, husband. I love you."

"I love you too."

By the end of the ceremony, Darcy was so glad he and Lizzie had eloped and he was _not_ looking forward to the big wedding in February. The vows Elizabeth and he had said were the same that Jane and Charles recited, but it seemed so much more intimate and personal with only family present. The Bingley wedding was lovely, very elegant and perfectly suited for them. Jane was resplendent, the flowers were stunning, but it was just so much…more that what he or Lizzie wanted for themselves. After taking what felt like a thousand pictures, the wedding party left the bride and groom to take more photos while they changed for the reception.

"Okay, this was originally a 'just because' present, but now it is a 'thank God you wanted to elope' present." Will smiled, placing a box on the vanity where Lizzie sat.

"I take it you are not enjoying the wedding so far?"

"It's fine. It's just so much _work._ Everyone is on this tight schedule and there was so much stress and it's just…"

"Fussy?" Lizzie finished for him. "I know."

She opened the velvet box and gasped. Inside the box was a beautiful diamond and onyx necklace with matching earrings. These weren't normal jewels, for their size and amount, this kind of jewelry belonged in a museum.

"They're…" Elizabeth was speechless. What did one say to a husband who gives you diamonds worth more than many people's houses? "Will…"

"I know. We had this positively horrendous broach in the family vault. I had the lovely Harriet Reynolds work her magic on it." He grinned. "And according to my sister, it will go lovely with your dress for the evening." He clasped the necklace around her neck and began kissing it gently.

"Will, we are meant to be downstairs in twenty minutes." Lizzie warned. He ignored her so she turned and kissed him gently, holding his face. "Darling, I love you and I would _love_ to continue this, but today belongs to the Bingleys. We have jobs to do and cannot be late."

"I thought I was the practical one." Will smiled.

"You are, ninety percent of the time." She grinned. "Now, help me off with this robe, I want to see how this necklace looks with my dress."

Will helped her take off her silk robe to reveal a beautiful, possibly vintage, gown. It was amethyst with a delicately beaded black belt. The top of the dress was sheer at the chest and collar, wrapping around the arms with cap sleeves and leaving much of her back exposed.

"Wow." Will grinned.

"Wow indeed. This is a vintage 1937 evening gown that I have paid a great deal of money for and plan to wear more than once." Lizzie said. "It is rather beautiful, isn't it? Georgie was right; the jewels are perfect with it. I think this may be my new favorite set."

"It is your first set of Darcy jewels as a Darcy." Will pointed out. "And you make them lovely. When you get a chance, you should see the picture of the brooch. Georgiana took one and sent it to Harriet because she didn't believe our family would own anything so hideous."

"What was it?"

"We think it was supposed to be an abstract Raven. It was made from some other necklace in the 60s for my grandmother. I don't know that it ever saw the light of day."

After sending Jane and Charles off with a bang, the Darcys spent a peaceful two weeks at Netherfield, getting cleaned up from the wedding and setting up the surprise remodel of the master suite that Louisa and Lizzie had worked on to design together. Jane and Charles were due back from London later that morning so they had a large family lunch planned to celebrate the newlyweds' return.

Darcy awoke and wasn't surprised to see Lizzie gone. She had talked to Louisa about getting down to the kitchen in the morning to help the caterers. He got out of bed and dressed, hoping to convince Lizzie to leave the caterers and take the horses out for an hour or so. He made it downstairs to see the kitchen abuzz with activity and Louisa, with a clipboard, directing it all.

"Good morning Darcy." She smiled.

"Morning Louisa." He said, starting to fix himself some coffee. "Where's Lizzie?"

"I was about to ask you the same question." Louisa furrowed her brow. "She said she'd be down to help me and I haven't seen her yet today."

Darcy pulled out his phone and dialed his wife's number. The phone went straight to voicemail. "Her phone is off. Maybe she went for a quick run. I'll call Frank."

Will dialed the number of his bodyguard. "Frank, have you seen Lizzie this morning?"

"No sir. She said yesterday that she was helping with the brunch this morning and wouldn't be going on a run. I saw her leaving the room twenty minutes ago and she said she was heading downstairs. She asked me to go get Mr. Bennet." Frank answered.

"And she said she was heading down to the kitchen?" Darcy asked.

"Yes sir."

"Thank you Frank. Please bring Mr. Bennet over as quick as you can." Will said and hung up, texting for Winston to join them in the kitchen ASAP.

"Will?" Louisa looked at him, concerned.

"Frank saw her this morning and she said she was heading down here. Lizzie would have let you know if she wasn't going to show up. Something happened to her between leaving our room and here." Darcy took a deep breath. "Can you assemble whatever staff you have to see if anyone has seen her then to look for her?"

"I'm sure she's fine. You and Winston check your room and the master suite, and then come back here. If she isn't there, we'll send the staff on a search." Louisa said gently. "Go. I'll coordinate when Mr. Bennet gets here."

Will practically ran upstairs. He and Winston checked the Darcy's suite and then every room of the Master suite. On their way back to the kitchen, they checked the library, living room, and dining room. There was no sign of Lizzie.

He was desperately trying to control his panic when he returned to the kitchen. "Louisa, anything?"

"Tell him." She nodded to the maid hired to do the final cleaning of Jane and Charles's suite.

"I was on my way to my truck to put some tools away and I saw Miss Bennet go with Miss Bingley towards the north corridor of the house." She reported. "I don't know what is that way, but that was about half an hour ago."

"Lizzie did say she kept seeing Caroline going to that part of the house to talk to Henri." Will nodded. "Let's go."

"I'm sure she's fine. I'll call Caroline." Louisa dialed her sister's mobile. Caroline's mobile went straight to voicemail as well. "Weird."

"What?" Will asked.

"Caroline _always_ answers her mobile. Always." Louisa looked concerned. "Something feels…wrong."

"I've learned in my life that if something feels wrong, it usually is." Mr. Bennet said walking in with Frank. "Where is my daughter, Darcy?"

Before Will could answer, his mobile rang. "I have to take this." Will said. "Yes Inspector?"

Inspector Roberts voice was grim. "Lord Darcy, this is Inspector Roberts. We're on our way down there and we've sent a local patrol to you. Wickham finally cracked."


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for sticking with me as I do what has become a massive re-write. I hope to tackle the sequel next. This is the final official chapter of the story. I did as much research as I could, but remember, I am not British, and sometimes I don't get everything just as right and realistic as it could be. Thanks to all those who reviewed, I hope you enjoy the end! The sonnet in this chapter is Sonnet 145, which is an awesome one.

_The Course of Love_

Chapter 21

Lizzie's head was pounding. She opened her eyes slowly and groaned. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was Caroline asking her to come look at something quickly. Caroline! It had been Caroline who hit her over the head! She sat up and blinked, realizing for the first time that her hands were bound behind her back and her feet were tied together.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Caroline said, her voice cold.

She was sitting in a chair, dressed in what Lizzie could only call "spy chic" black clothes from head to toe, a gun with a silencer sitting causally on her lap. Around her neck, however, was the onyx necklace Will had given Lizzie for the wedding.

"Caroline?" Lizzie looked at her, confused. "What's going on? Why are you wearing my necklace?"

"I had the perfect plan, you know. The lovely Liza, found murdered in the park. The mourning fiancé, William Darcy, turns to family friend Caroline Bingley, who would help him work through it. Eventually, she wins his heart. But you didn't die. And then I tried to have you kidnapped by some unscrupulous men and raped and murdered, with the same outcome, but you went out of the country." Caroline stood, pacing with the gun in her hand. "Did you really think you were good enough for such a man? No. You are common. You are vulgar, and you're not very pretty or fashionable. You don't deserve jewels like these. I'm doing you a favor. The elite of society would tear you apart in a heartbeat. You could never be a Lady, dear Eliza."

"So…you think you're doing me a favor?" Lizzie scoffed. The woman was delusional. "_You_ were behind Wickham?"

"Of course I was behind Wickham. I am the only one will ever be married to Will Darcy. I will be the Countess of Devon. I will be mistress of Pemberley. He never suspected me, so all I have to do is make this look like a suicide or something, and my plan will be back on track." Caroline explained, deadly serious.

Lizzie almost burst out laughing. "Caroline, you've failed. You failed in July. I am legally Elizabeth Bennet Darcy, Countess of Devon. Darcy and I got married four months ago."

"You are lying. You are just being a whore and living with him." Caroline's eyes narrowed with fury and her grip on the gun tightened.

Elizabeth took a deep breath; she needed to keep talking, to stall so someone could find them. "I am not lying. Those three weeks Darcy and I were gone was our honeymoon. And really, we have you to thank. We probably would have eloped, but had I not been attacked, I don't know that we would have done it so soon. Caroline, I think your plan is flawed. Who kills themselves with a silencer? And if you take it off, how much time to you think you really have to get away before someone gets here? They'll certainly hear the shot. I'm not going to help you so you've got to find some way to force me, and that's not going to be easy. Plus, you hit me over the head. A medical examiner would find that and they would investigate the possibility of murder. How do you think Darcy would feel if he found out you murdered his wife? He's not going to fall in love with you after that, Caroline. What you don't realize, Caroline, is that you can't just split up a couple that is in love. That's why you couldn't split up Jane and Charles, and I know you tried. No matter what you do, Will and I will always be. Even if I am gone. I will always be his first wife. His first love." Elizabeth said her voice edged with anger. She wasn't sure how true anything she just said was, but even if it was pure bull, she had to keep Caroline talking.

Will couldn't believe what he was hearing. He figured that if Wickham hadn't cracked within two weeks, he wasn't going to. "So he told you who hired him?"

"Yes. Wickham claims that Caroline Bingley hired him. He says she's deranged and delusional, which also means she is highly dangerous." Inspector Roberts said.

Will didn't say a word; he just hung up the phone. "We have to find Caroline. Now."

"Why?" Louisa looked concerned.

"Wickham caved and confessed to everything. Caroline hired him to take out Lizzie. He said she was crazy and he wouldn't…he thinks she's going to snap and try and take Lizzie out herself." Will explained, and without another word, the group ran out of the kitchen, Winston and Frank in the lead with guns drawn. They sprinted down the north corridor. Fortunately, all of the doors on the hallway were open. All but one.

"Let me talk to her." Darcy said when they got to the door. "She's sick, she needs help, maybe I can talk her down."

"Agreed." Winston nodded. "I'll break down the door. Mr. Bennet, you and Frank and Darcy follow."

"Please…" Louisa was in tears. "Please don't kill her. She's my sister."

"We'll do our best." Frank nodded, feeling for Louisa. "Ready Winston? On my mark. Three, two, one…"

Suddenly, the door burst open and her father and Will burst in followed by Winston and Frank, who had their guns trained on Caroline. Caroline screamed and pointed her gun at Elizabeth.

"I'll kill her!" She warned.

"Just put the gun down, Caroline." Darcy said, his voice soft. He crept closer to Elizabeth and Caroline, keeping his eyes on the crazy redhead with the firearm.

"Sir!" Winston warned but Mr. Bennet shook his head.

"No! If I can't have you, why do you think I'd let her win?" Caroline asked, sobbing. Darcy was almost in reach of Elizabeth. "No!"

Chaos erupted. Caroline fired first and Will pushed Elizabeth, who was still bound and unable to move, out of the way, the bullet connecting with the side of his abdomen. A split second after Caroline fired, there was a much louder boom as Winston and Frank both returned fire.

"Will!" Lizzie screamed, wiggling over to him and pulling herself from the scarf tied tightly around her wrists. Immediately she put her hands over the wound in his side, trying to stop the blood. "Call an ambulance!"

"Lizzie?" Will asked, his voice a little weak.

"Hang in there, my love. We're going to get you to a hospital and fix you up." Elizabeth gave him a brave smile. "I look forward to growing old with you."

"If you insist." He nodded, grimacing. "Caroline?"

"Who cares?" Lizzie shook her head. "You don't worry about her."

The paramedics arrived and took over for Elizabeth. She refused to leave her husband's side, so her father and the rest of the family followed in the car. They arrived at the hospital and were rushed into a private room, as Lizzie could hear the snap of cameras and knew the paparazzi weren't far behind. The paramedics hadn't questioned her, but the attending physician did.

"Ma'am? I am afraid you are going to have to leave and wait in the waiting room." He said softly.

"I'm his wife. I'm not leaving." Lizzie shook her head, not letting go of Will's hand. "Please…don't let him die."

"Your husband isn't going to die. We need to get him prepped for surgery." The doctor explained. "I'm going to let you stay in here while we prep, then I'm going to have a nurse take you and help you get cleaned up. From what I see, I think you're lucky, because it looks like the bullet went through his muscle only. If it hit any organs, we'd see more blood and he would be in more dire straights."

Lizzie nodded numbly. "Stay with me, Will."

He just squeezed her hand. Even if the bullet had only hit muscle, it still hurt and it was still in there. After a few minutes, they wheeled him away and a nurse got Lizzie a set of scrubs to wear and helped her clean herself up. By the time she arrived in the surgical waiting area, her whole family, including Jane, Charles, and the Gardiners were there.

"Lizzie." Jane rushed to hug her sister. "You are so very brave. These inspectors are here and want to talk to you. Do you feel up to it?"

"Of course." Elizabeth nodded, determined to stay strong. "Inspector Roberts. Inspector Austen."

"I'm so sorry, my Lady. Is Lord Darcy going to be okay?" Austen asked.

"It sounds like it. I won't rest easy until he is out of surgery. How did you get here from London so fast?" Lizzie asked.

"We were coming to tell you. We called Darcy on the way and when he hung up without answering we knew something was wrong so we put on the sirens and sped out here." Roberts explained. "Dispatch filled us in when we got close enough. Do you mind coming into one of the conference rooms and giving us a statement?"

"Only if my sister can come get me the minute we hear anything." Lizzie said, looking at Jane.

"Of course." Austen nodded. "We'll be right over here."

He led Lizzie to one of the private rooms off of the surgical waiting area.

"Now, walk us through what happened." Roberts instructed.

"I woke up a little after 8 o'clock this morning. Louisa and I had agreed to meet in the kitchen at 8:30 to organize the welcome home party we were throwing for my sister and Charles. I'm not sure exactly what time I left the room, but Caroline caught me on the stairs. I was honestly shocked to see her awake. She never got up before 12 the whole month we were there. She said she'd been working on a present for Jane, sort of a 'I'm sorry I've been so horrible, welcome to the family, lets start over' present. I didn't buy it, but I'd seen her disappearing to this part of the house that's all old servants quarters, supposedly to talk to her boyfriend in private. No one goes there. I was curious and I knew she was up to something but I never thought Caroline was dangerous. We got to this door and she fiddled around in her pockets. I thought she was looking for the key to the room, because it was locked. Next thing I know, I'm being hit on the head and I blacked out."

Inspector Austen stopped her. "Have you been looked at by a Doctor? Did they take pictures of the wounds?"

"No." Lizzie shook her head. "I mean, they checked me over and I don't have a concussion but they didn't take pictures or anything."

"The minute we're done, you need to be." He said. "We need to take pictures of the head wound and document any other injuries you may have."

"Right. Well, next thing I remember is waking up, my head was killing me, and I realized that my hands were tied behind my back and my feet were tied as well. It dawned on me that Caroline was behind everything, which she admitted to me, telling me that I had ruined her plan. She was going to kill me, then comfort Darcy, and he was going to fall in love with her and marry her after that. Caroline clearly planned this, she had changed her clothes into this black outfit and she was wearing my necklace. That necklace was a present to me from Darcy, and the only way she would have gotten it was if she had been snooping around our suite. She had tied me up with a scarf, so I knew I could wrangle my hands out if I had some time, so I kept her talking. I told her that Darcy and I got married in July and that her plan would fail. I basically kept her talking long enough for Darcy, our bodyguards, and my father to burst into the room. When they came in, Caroline pointed the gun at me. Will tried to talk to her while moving closer to me. When she realized what he was doing, she fired. He pushed me out of the way and was hit himself. A second after she fired I heard two loud pops and Caroline went down. I don't know what happened after that, I was solely focused on Will. I know my father untied my feet and I believe the police collected it."

"They did." Inspector Roberts nodded. "We're going to call a Doctor up here for you. He's going to take pictures of your wrists, ankles, and the back of your head. He's also going to take a DNA sample so we can match the skin cells on the bindings to you."

"We'll probably need to talk to you some more, but for now, you can go back to your family. We will be borrowing your body guards to interview them while we wait for Lord Darcy and Miss Bingley to come out of surgery."

"So she is alive?" Lizzie asked.

"Yes. Two gunshot wounds. One to the arm, one to the leg." Roberts answered. "Your boys are excellent shots, Ma'am."

"I'm glad we have them." She nodded. "What about my necklace? It…it has great sentimental value."

"I'll make sure it is returned to you when we are done with it. We'll send the doctor up to you then you can join your family."

It took nearly an hour for the Doctor to poke, prod, photograph, and collect any evidence from Lizzie. By the time she rejoined her family, the surgeon had arrived to update them on Darcy.

"I'm looking for Mrs. Darcy." He said.

"That's me." Lizzie stood and walked over. "Is he okay?"

"Your husband is fine. The gun was pretty low-powered, the bullet went through skin and muscle and lodged in his back muscle so we had to do surgery to remove it. There was no damage to the internal organs, which is great because it means he is going to make a full recovery." The surgeon explained. "I've given the bullet to the police, and we're moving him into step-down now. I'd like you to come with me to meet the hospital's administrator so we can arrange more private and secure rooms for your family and your husband."

"He's going to be okay?" She asked, the information not sinking in yet.

"Yes ma'am. He's going to be okay." The surgeon smiled. "Come with me and as soon as we have the room squared away, I'll let you see him for yourself."

The hospital administrator was a perky blonde woman who looked like she was in her late thirties.

"Lady Darcy." She smiled. "I'm Evie Lesner. I'm the administrator here. First off, you've got to clarify something for me. I thought it was your sister who just got married and you weren't getting married until February?"

"We're holding a big public ceremony in February, but Will and I were married in July. I have all the legal papers if you need them." Lizzie said.

"Not necessary. For security purposes, we're putting you in a section of ICU. Your husband doesn't need intensive care, but it is our most secure area. We have a special private waiting area for the ICU. Would you like to have your family moved there?" Evie asked.

"Yes, please." Lizzie nodded. "I'd like to keep the many details of this morning as private as possible."

"Of course, my Lady. Please, follow me and I will take you to your husband's recovery room. They will be wheeling him down to the ICU in just a few minutes. I'll inform your family of the location change and the nurse on duty will tell you when he can have other visitors than family."

It was strange, and almost heartbreaking, to see her big, strong husband attached to several machines. And something about the hospital bed made him look small and frail. He was awake, and fairly alert considering what he'd just been through.

"Hello darling." Lizzie kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"They have me flying high." Will sighed. "How is Caroline?"

"Alive, unfortunately." Lizzie crossed her arms. "Why do you care? She shot you! Well, she tried to shoot me."

"She's mentally ill. She needs help." He replied, taking her hand and kissing it.

Lizzie softened. "Thank you. That bullet…it would have probably killed me."

"I refuse to live in a world without you, darling wife." Will smiled up at her.

Elizabeth just held his hand. She was glad she hadn't lost him. Those first few moments after he had been shot were the worst in her life. And with Caroline going down and Wickham and the other hired thugs in custody, maybe this was all finally over. Several minutes later, Will was wheeled into his new room, a large recovery suite in the ICU. An hour later, he was ready for visitors so Lizzie started letting them in.

Georgiana was the first one through the door. "Oh Will! You're so brave!" She cried as she held her brother's hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot." Will smirked. "It's okay, Sister. I'll be off my horse for a few weeks, but I'd take that any day over losing Lizzie."

Georgiana and the Bennets stayed for a few minutes, and then rotated out so the Gardiners and Richard could visit. Finally, Jane, Charles and Louisa came in.

"How is she?" Will asked.

"Raving like a lunatic." Louisa shook her head. "I don't know how my sister can be this crazy and I never noticed it. She's also highly addicted to diazepam. The wounds were minor, so she'll recover from those a lot faster than she will the addiction." Louisa explained.

"I'm so sorry, Darce. I should have kept a closer eye on her." Charles sighed. "To think, she nearly killed Lizzie. Several times. They said you took a bullet for her?"

"He saved my life." Lizzie took his hand. "My very own knight in shining armor."

"You're both so very brave." Jane sighed; this was very hard on her. "I just…I can't believe we didn't see it."

"Jane, I thought she was up to something and even I didn't see this." Lizzie shook her head. "I mean, none of us knew about the drugs, none of us knew she was even capable of this sort of violence. The biggest thing I thought she was hiding was a fake boyfriend."

"We should have been paying more attention." Charles said. "I'm just glad you are going to be okay."

"I'm fine. I'm going to have a really cool scar and I am going to get my lawyers to press for a deal for Caroline. She needs to be locked up for a while, but she needs to be in a psychiatric facility where they can help her." Will smiled. "I'm sorry you had to come home to all this."

"Will, you were shot. You have nothing to apologize for." Louisa shook her head. "And Lizzie, I found your mobile, your assistant has been calling you. I told her you were okay and gave her some of the details of what has happened."

"Thanks." Lizzie smiled. "I'll call her later and fill in anything else. I'm just glad this is all finally over."

"Sort of. I think your marriage was outed and there are a million paps outside." Charles reported. "Want me to make a statement?"

"Not about the marriage, but tell them it's nothing. My appendix or something. Maybe we can keep this out of the papers." Will said.

Louisa shook her head. "I doubt that's possible."

"But we will try." Charles nodded. "I'll craft a statement and let Lizzie look at it before I give it out."

"Thanks, Charles." Lizzie smiled. "Why don't you and Jane head home? Unwind for a bit? Go enjoy that lunch that Louisa and I had planned. We'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Louisa asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "If you guys act like it's no big deal, the paparazzi will be more likely to buy that it's just an appendix. Also, will you do me a favor and check Caroline's room? Or have the police check it?"

"Why?" Charles asked.

"Earlier today she was wearing my necklace. I don't care about most of my jewelry, but that's my first set of Darcy jewels as a Darcy, I don't…I also know that people struggling with an addiction tend to steal things to help pay for their habit. We might find some other stolen items in her room." Lizzie explained. "I hate to say it, but it needs to be done."

"I'll have the police search it and show us anything of value. Between me, Jane and Louisa, we should be able to identify almost everything. Anything we aren't sure of, we'll send you a picture." Charles nodded. "We'll be back in two hours, okay?"

"Take your time, Charles. You just got back from your honeymoon." Will shook his head and they left. "Speaking of honeymoons, after all we've been through, we deserve a fantastic one."

"We already took a fantastic honeymoon, darling." Lizzie shook her head.

"Not officially." He smiled. "Where would you like to go, Mrs. Darcy?"

"We'll talk about it when you are feeling better." Elizabeth smiled at him. "We have certainly had one rough year."

"What does the bard say? 'The course of true love never did run smooth'." Will kissed her hand. "I can't call it a rough year, though, because it brought me you."

"Fitzwilliam Andrew Richard Darcy, you are the cheesiest man I have ever met." Lizzie laughed. "And I love you for it."

She leaned down and kissed him gently. Will smiled at her, "I love you too, my darling wife."

"Glad to know it. Now get some rest."

"Yes ma'am." Will nodded and settled into his bed.

It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a wealthy, single man is in the market for a wife. And even though this one particular single man was not, the market found him anyway, and he couldn't be happier.


	22. Epilogue

Author's Note: This is the END of the Course of Love. Just a little teaser to hold you over until I finish work on the sequel (which may take some time). Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! It's finally over!

_The Course of Love_

Epilogue

Five weeks later…

"Crap." Lizzie sighed, looking at her calendar on her phone.

"What's wrong?" Will asked. He was finally moving around like normal, almost completely recovered from being shot. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck.

"I…I…Will, I can't think when you do that." Lizzie's breath grew labored.

"I'm finally able to resume _physical activity_. Care to join me, Mrs. Darcy?"

Lizzie's resolve crumbled like a house of cards and she turned in his arms, pulling him down for a passionate kiss. She forgot all about her calendar and enjoyed being with her husband again for the first time in over a month. The next morning, she was surprised to see she was the first one awake. It was a beautiful day, but owing to the amount of physical activity from the night before, Lizzie decided to forgo her run. That's when a sudden, horrible realization hit her and she sat bolt upright in bed and let out an uncharacteristic curse.

The sudden movement woke her husband. "What's wrong?" Will asked, sitting up.

"How many times did we…"

"Five, I think." Will kissed her shoulder. "What's wrong, my love?"

"I…I was so focused on your recovery that I missed my appointment to get my birth control shot. I was supposed to get it three weeks ago." Lizzie explained. "And we didn't…crap."

"Lizzie, you are not going to get pregnant from one night of unprotected sex."

"It only takes one _time_, Will." Lizzie pulled her knees up to her chest. "Oh God."

Will put his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. "Elizabeth, it is going to be okay. You are most likely not pregnant, but if you are, then we'll just take things as they come."

"From now on, we're using something. Once I get my period, I'll make another appointment, but until then…"

"I'll pick something up later." He said, kissing her neck. "Can we practice some more?"

"Did you miss this entire conversation?" Lizzie looked at him, incredulous.

"One more time won't hurt. I have five weeks to make up for." Will moved his attention to that special spot behind her ear and soon Lizzie was unable to form a coherent thought or objection.

As December turned into January and the hustle of the holidays was over, the Darcys were preparing to return to Pemberley to begin the final stages of planning their wedding. Two weeks into January, Lizzie had still not had her period, and the stress was getting to her. When Georgiana arrived home from getting her dress altered, she found her sister-in-law pacing in front of the bathroom door.

"Lizzie, you are going to wear yourself out." She sighed. "You need all your strength for dinner at the Matlocks tonight. Why on earth are you up here pacing?"

Elizabeth looked at the younger woman, clearly stressed. "I haven't had my period. It's more than two weeks late. I can't sit or do anything, I'm in the middle of a Agatha Bennet level panic session!"

"And you're pacing in front of the bathroom…" The light bulb went off for Georgiana. "You took a pregnancy test. But why are you panicking? Don't you two want a family?"

"Yes, but not so soon! I mean, we haven't even been officially together a year and we aren't publically married yet." The timer went off and Lizzie dashed into the bathroom. "Positive."

"It's time to make a doctor's appointment Lizzie." Georgiana grinned. "You are going to make me an aunt!"

Lizzie felt faint. "I'm going to take another. This could be a false positive."

Around test number six, Georgiana got worried and called Jane. "Jane, I need you here as soon as possible. Lizzie needs you."

"Is she okay?" Jane asked, worried.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? I don't know." Georgiana replied.

"I'll be right there."

As soon as Jane entered Darcy house, Georgiana rushed her upstairs to the master suite.

"Where is she?" Jane asked.

"Bathroom." Georgiana sighed.

Jane opened the door slowly. Lizzie was leaning against the tub, her knees pulled up to her chest, a pregnancy test on the floor in front of her.

"Lizzie?" Jane asked. "Is it…"

"Positive." Lizzie sighed.

"Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't before, the other eleven tests confirmed it." Lizzie nodded, not taking her eyes off the pregnancy test. "I'm pregnant."

Georgiana and Jane both felt like jumping up and down and squealing with joy, but that was clearly not what Lizzie needed at the moment.

"Are you okay?" Georgiana asked.

"No. I'm completely freaked out." Lizzie bit her lip. "What am I going to do? I need…what I need is a drink and I can't have one. What am I going to tell Will?"

"I think my brother is going to be happy."

"Part of me is happy. But I'm 22 years old. I'm barely old enough to be a wife, much less a mother."

"You are going to be a splendid mother." Jane hugged her sister. "Lets go downstairs, get you some tea, and think about that beautiful baby that is half you, half Will."

"I'll go call Aunt Rose and ask her not to serve you any wine tonight. I'll tell her you've been sick and the medication you are on doesn't react well to wine." Georgiana grinned. "Will is going to flip out."

"I can't tell him yet. The wedding is three weeks away. This is all his fault…he…" Lizzie trailed off. "Sorry Georgie."

"Lizzie, aren't you on the shot?" Jane asked, confused.

"Yes, but with Will recovering and everything that happened, I missed my appointment. The day he was cleared for physical activity…" Lizzie shook her head. "I was freaking out the next morning, worried that this had happened. Though, to be honest, that's not the only possible time. We honestly tried to be careful, but…"

"I understand, Lizzie." Jane hugged her again. "But you need to tell Will. You haven't had too many symptoms, but what if you start getting morning sickness? He's going to worry."

"A lot." Georgiana added. "That's what my brother does best. He worries. And you need to tell Annie soon. We are picking out dresses next weekend."

"I'll be…if I'm right, I'll be six months on at her wedding. I'll be huge!" Lizzie groaned. "Okay. I just need to go on a run, clear my head. When I come home, I promise to make a doctors appointment."

"Lizzie?" Sara called. "Lizzie! Are you home?"

"Oh no. I forgot! I have a hair appointment before dinner tonight." Lizzie sighed and yelled. "Up here, Sara!"

Sara Hawkins, Elizabeth's assistant, entered the bathroom to a very strange sight. Elizabeth Darcy, flanked by her sister and sister-in-law, sitting on the floor of the bathroom with a pregnancy test in front of them.

Jane smiled at her, always pleasant. "Good morning, Sara."

"Mrs. Bingley." She nodded. "Miss Darcy. Lizzie, do I need to call someone?"

"Please cancel my hair appointment and make me a doctor's appointment as soon as possible." Lizzie said, still in shock. "Sara…don't tell."

"Not a word, Mrs. Darcy." Sara only called her Mrs. Darcy now when she was deadly serious. "I'll take care of the trash, but may I offer my congratulations? You two will make excellent parents."

"We aren't too young?"

"Sammy was 21 and I was 19 when we had Sam. It is my opinion that God doesn't bless someone with a child unless He is sure they can handle it."

Less than two hours later, Lizzie was sitting in the Doctor's office with Jane and Georgiana, waiting on the results of the test. Normally, the test would take over an hour to come back, sometimes even more than a day, but due to the low level of activity in the office currently and the fact that they had a lab on-site, the test came back in a little over half an hour.

"It seems, Mrs. Darcy, that you are, in fact, pregnant." The doctor smiled. "Judging from the test results, I'd say four to six weeks on."

"That's about what you figured." Jane nodded. "Oh Lizzie."

"When is she due?" Georgiana asked.

"Well, Mrs. Darcy, is there any specific dates in the time range I gave you that you could pinpoint? We actually just go on statistics with her hormone levels compared the hormone levels of other pregnant women at the same gestation." The Doctor explained. "But if I had a smaller time range, I could give you a more accurate due date."

"It could have been December 3rd. Or anywhere from Christmas to epiphany." Lizzie sighed. "I don't think there were any times between there…no. December 15th and 16th."

"Well, based on the hormone levels, I believe you conceived on the 3rd. That being said, I'd say you'll be due in early September, possibly late August, with your small frame, you may go early."

"How sweet! Your baby could be born on Will's birthday!" Jane exclaimed, excited.

"This will settle the rumors that you eloped because you were pregnant." Georgiana pointed out.

"I'm going to set you up with a prenatal packet about when to make appointments, tips on eating healthy, tips for morning sickness and all sorts of good mommy-to-be goodies. I'll have it put on a flash drive and the receptionist will give it to you on the way out. Do you have any more questions?"

"I know a lot of women miscarry…how…"

"How likely is it? Depends. You are healthy, active, and young. Your chances are less than some of our older mommies. Once you get beyond the first trimester, so long as everything continues to go smoothly, the risk will go down considerably. Just remember, no smoking, no drinking, get plenty of rest, keep the stress level down, sleep whenever you feel you need it, listen to your body. I'm going to give you some samples or prenatal vitamins that should last the next six weeks, then you'll need to buy some."

"Can I still run?"

"If you run regularly, then yes, you absolutely can." The doctor smiled. "You're in for some big changes, but it's going to be alright. Women have been having babies for thousands of years. You can do this."

"Thank you Doctor." Lizzie nodded. "I'll…my assistant will call the office and make some more appointments after I look over the stuff you're giving me."

"Of course." The doctor smiled. "If you need anything, call us."

Lizzie just nodded. This was overwhelming. In the year since she and Will had gotten together, her life had gone so far off the path she had planned she couldn't even see where she had been going before him. The plan had been to finish her degree, get her credentials, and become a teacher. Then, maybe in a few years, get married and a few years after that, start having children. Now here she was, barely 22 years old, married, titled, crazy rich, and about to be a mother. And it was all because Charles Bingley moved in next door.

"Jane, do you want to get some lunch and bring it back? I think my brother is home and they could use some…time." Georgiana suggested as they pulled up to Darcy house.

"Lizzie?" Jane looked at her sister for confirmation.

"That's fine. Just…take your time." Lizzie sighed and got out of the car. "Wait here. I'm sending Sara out so she can pick up anything on this list while you are out."

Will was, predictably, in his study working when she got home. He was bent over a document, scratching through things and adding notes with a pen.

"Hello, darling." Lizzie said from the door.

Will looked up, startled. "Lizzie. I thought you had a hair appointment or something."

"No. I had to cancel it." She shook her head. "I needed to go to the Doctor."

At that, Will stood and rushed over to her. "Darling? Are you okay? What's wrong? Do we need to cancel dinner?"

"No. I'm…not okay, exactly. But no, we do not need to cancel dinner and nothing is wrong." Lizzie touched his cheek gently. "You know, before I met you, I was a responsible, driven young woman."

"You still are, Elizabeth." Will furrowed his brow. "What's going on?"

"I know that we had talked about…" Lizzie bit her lip. "This is all your fault."

Will looked at her, confused. "My fault? What? Tell me what I did and I will fix it."

"You can't _fix_ it. And I guess it's my fault as well. It does take two…"

Will's eyes widened as he finally caught on to what she was saying. "You…are you…Lizzie. Tell me. Are…are you pregnant?"

She just bit her lower lip and nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "I know we talked about waiting-"

She couldn't finish her sentence as Will pulled her in for a crushing kiss, a few tears dotting the corner of his eyes. "I can't believe it. We're going to be parents. I'm going to be a father."

"You're…okay with this?" Lizzie asked.

"I want nothing more than to have a child with you. I'd like to have six or seven, actually." He beamed, and then furrowed his brow in concern. "Elizabeth, are you okay with this?"

Lizzie just nodded, too overcome with emotion to say a word. She was terrified, yes, but seeing how excited he was finally let her move beyond her anxiety and truly enjoy the idea that she was going to be a mother.

"How far along are you?" Will asked.

"About six weeks." She smiled. "But we're not telling anyone, other than Georgiana, Jane, Sara and Charles because Jane will tell him anyway, until I get through the first trimester, got it?"

Darcy nodded. His mother had four miscarriages between himself and his sister, he was well aware of the fragility of a pregnancy. "So…boy or girl?"

"I don't know yet. We won't find out for a while." Lizzie shook her head. "You need to read up on all the baby information the doctor gave me."

"No. I know we don't know this early. I want to know what you want. A boy or a girl." He clarified.

"A boy. So we can call him Bennet and carry on your family's tradition." She smiled. "You?"

"A little girl would be perfect, just like her mother." Will kissed her gently.

"Hmm…flattery will get you everywhere." Lizzie said. "Are you sure we're ready for this?"

"Darling, I don't think anyone is every _actually_ ready for this. As long as we love the baby and try to do what's best, the rest will work itself out." Will pulled her against his chest and held her. "Of course, keeping this secret for six weeks might be the hardest thing I ever do. I don't know that I can wipe the grin off my face."

"You kept us a secret for almost four months. We'll manage." She shook her head. "You really think we can do this?"

"I don't know. I know that I didn't think I could love anything as much as I love you, and now I know that was wrong. I know that you are going to make an incredible mother. I know that whatever comes our way, we will handle it together." He said with conviction.

"You promise?"

"I do."

"Okay then." Lizzie smiled. "We're going to have a baby."


End file.
